The Many Temptations of Chloe
by murrey-2012
Summary: For Chloe Saunders, high school has never been easy. What happens when the school gets three new kids?
1. I Don't Get It

**To all my loyal readers, I bring you my new story, but don't worry; I'm not stopping my other. This was just an idea I've been thinking about. Though I've kept most of the original characters, I added a few of my own because I wanted a new personality to play with. And, yes. I know it's short.**

**So I decided to make a little contest. At the beginning of each chapter, I'm going to put part of a poem. If you can guess what it is called, you will get 10 points. If you can guess who it is by, you will get 20 points. If you can guess both, you will get fifty. (Yes, I know 10 plus 20 does not equal 50. Deal with it.) At the end of the fifth chapter, whoever has the most points can choose an idea for a story or one-shot (I will try my best). Second place can choose a person to either be in the story/one-shot or my story, if I can fit them in.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

The tide rises, the tide falls,

The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;

Along the sea-sands damp and brown

The traveler hastens toward the town,

And the tide rises, the tide falls.

"Chloe," a voice whispered. "Chloe!"

"Huh," I jolted awake. Looking over at Maggie, I asked, "What?"

"Class is over," she said, gathering up her stuff and standing up.

Looking around, I saw that class was, indeed, over. The room was quickly becoming empty as kids fled to the hall.

"Just tell me I didn't snore," I told her as I followed her example and grabbed my things.

"Don't worry," she said, "Nobody noticed."

"Good."

"How late did you stay up last night?" she asked me as we entered the hallway.

"Only until eleven," I answered, as I dodged the traffic.

"And you're falling asleep?" she asked me.

"It's not that," I told her as I opened my locker. "It's the class. I don't get it. And no matter what, I will never get geometry. Not with Mr. Stang teaching it."

"Why not get a tutor?" she asked.

"And admit to my stupidity?" I said, swinging my newly refilled bag over my shoulder. "No. I'll just keep trying. Something has to stick eventually. I mean, how hard can it b –"

I was cut off by my locker door slamming into my shoulder. Looking behind me, I saw a girl at the locker next to mine, which had always been empty. She was about 5'6" with short, black hair.

"Sorry," I said, "I didn't mean to have the door in the way. That locker's usually empty."

Slamming her door, she turned to me. Taking one look at me, she didn't hide her disgust as she curled back her lip. Swinging her bag onto her shoulder, she turned and walked off.

Closing my locker, I looked at Maggie and gave her a questioning look. She shrugged.

"Come on," I said, "If I'm late to English again, I'll get detention."

When we got to English, I took my seat in the back. I sat in the very back by myself. Maggie used to sit next to me, but the teacher got sick of telling us to shut up, so she moved Maggie up.

As I sat down, the bell rang. I got out my things and also grabbed my script for theatre. I was one of the writers. I really wanted to be a director, but for me, writing is better than acting and being the center of attention.

Ms. Wallus began to take attendance, so I continued writing. I was one of the last people called, so I had awhile to go. When she got to the D's, I heard the door open and she stopped talking. A boy walked over to Ms. Wallus and handed her a piece of paper. He was tall. _Really_ tall. His baggy clothes hung loosely. I couldn't see his face very well. He had it angled away and his black hair hung over it, hiding his face. After Ms. Wallus read the paper, she wrote something on the class roster and pointed to the empty seat next to me. He looked back and his eyes met mine. Emerald eyes stared out from under his long hair. Breaking the gaze, he started walking towards the back of the room. When he got to the table, he dropped his bag next to the chair and sat down. Leaning back, he stared forward at Ms. Wallus, ignoring the looks he was getting from the rest of the class.

I turned back to my script and continued writing. I kept writing until the teacher got to the R's, then I stopped. Eventually, she said, "Chloe Saunders."

"Here," I answered.

"Margaret Shaw."

Maggie winced as Ms. Wallus addressed her by her full name. "Here."

"Derek Souza."

The new boy next to me said, "Here."

I looked over briefly. _So that was his name._ I had to remember that to tell Rae later. She was in journalism and was naturally eager to know everything that was happening.

Setting my script aside, I turned my attention to the teacher, who had finished roll call.

"We'll continue where we left off yesterday talking about elements of a classic novel."

That was our next project. We had to choose a classic and either write a report on it or make a PowerPoint, then present it to the class. Most of the kids choose the presentation because then they didn't have to write as much.

As the teacher talked, I wrote, knowing she would eventually have a "pop" quiz. They used to be pop quizzes, but after giving us a quiz after every unit, I knew what to expect.

When the bell rang, everybody flooded from the room. When Maggie got to the door, she gave me a look that said, "You coming?"

I held up my finger, motioning for her to wait. As I was packing my bag, I turned to Derek and said, "I'm Chloe."

"Derek," he grunted.

"After every unit, Ms. Wallus gives us a 'pop' quiz. I'm assuming you don't need any help figuring out what a classic is, but the quiz usually comes directly from the notes, so you can borrow my notes if you want. You can copy them, then give then give them back tomorrow," I explained. I held out my notebook so he could grab it if he wanted.

He reached out, grabbed it and put it in his bag, saying, "Thanks."

"No problem," I said before running off to catch up with Maggie.

"What was that about?" Maggie asked me as we headed to lunch.

"I was just lending him my notes to copy," I told her.

"Well, now you're in for it," she said as we entered the cafeteria.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She pointed to our table and I saw what she meant. Rae was already there, practically bouncing with excitement. She obviously had heard about the new kids and was ready to burst. As we sat down, she snatched a fry from Maggie's tray, completely bypassing mine. I guess salad's not fun to mooch off of. Go figure.

As soon as we got settled down, she started talking. "Did you see the new kid?"

"Kids," I said.

"Huh?"

"There is more than one. I saw two."

"Who were they?"

"I don't know who the girl was, just that she didn't like me," I said.

"Why?"

"She slammed my locker door into my shoulder and from the look on her face, I'm worse than what the cat dragged in," I explained.

"Ouch," She said, grimacing. Quickly recovering, she said." What about the second one?"

"A boy," I said. "His name's Derek Souza."

"There are two boys?" she asked.

"Two?" I said.

"Well I saw one, too," she explained. "He was in the hallway by my locker. I didn't hear his full name, but his first name's Simon."

"So there's three new kids?" I said. "That seems odd."

"What did the girl look like?" Rae asked.

"She was about medium height with short black hair and an even shorter temper," I explained.

"I hope I don't have any classes with her," Rae said, "How about Derek?"

"Tall, black hair, green eyes," I said.

"You noticed his eyes?" Rae said, eyebrows rising.

"Well it wasn't like I was looking for them," I said, "I just saw them."

"_Right_," Rae said, drawing out the word.

"Moving on," I said, "How about Simon?"

"Gorgeous!" A voice exclaimed behind us.

Turning around, we saw Liz walking over to us. She sat down on my other side.

"Details?" Maggie asked.

"Oh, right," she said. "His name is Simon Bae and he makes July in the Sahara seem cold. He has spiky blond hair and brown eyes."

"Oh, and he's Chinese or something," Rae added.

"How do you know his last name?" I asked Liz.

"I just had Spanish with him," she explained. "So, how about the other two?"

We spent the rest of lunch filling Liz in on what we knew. As soon as the bell rang, I grabbed my stuff from my locker. When I got to biology, I sat in my normal seat and began writing my script again. After I had written a few lines, someone next to me cleared their throat and said, "Mind if I sit here?"

Looking up, I saw a boy. He was about medium height. His blond hair stood in spikes. He definitely looked Asian, but not Chinese.

"Go ahead," I said, motioning for him to sit down.

"Thanks," he said, flashing me a smile I was sure worked on every girl. I, however, remained immune.

Reaching out his hand, he said," I'm Simon Bae."

I returned the handshake and replied," I'm Chloe Saunders."

"So you're a sophomore?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

"And you are...?"

"A junior."

"A junior? Why are you taking biology? Shouldn't you be in chemistry?"

"You'd think so. However, there were circumstances," he replied, his face serious.

"You flunked?" I asked, trying to hide a smile.

"Like I said, circumstances," he said, a smile growing.

"Wow, Simon, you're here, what, five minutes and you're already hitting on someone," a voice said. I looked up and saw the girl from earlier, looking at Simon.

"I'm not hitting on anyone, _Victoria_," he said.

"Could've fooled me," she said, sitting down in front of us.

He shot her the finger when she had he back turned.

"Your sister?" I guessed.

"Victoria Enright, my half-sister. Unfortunately, I still have to live with her," he said.

"Why doesn't she live with her other parent?" I asked.

"Her mom lives in Chicago. And my dad wanted her," he said. "I think he needs to get his brain checked."

I laughed, earning a smile.

"Let me guess. She's a witch?" I said, jokingly.

"You don't know how right you are," he said.

"Do you only have a half-sister?" I asked.

"No, I have a foster brother, too," he said.

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Derek Souza," he answered.

"He's your brother?" I asked.

"Yeah. Why? Have you met him?" he asked.

"I have English with him," I explained, "He's not very sociable."

"Nope. But he's a great guy. You just have to get to know him."

"Something tells me getting him to talk is the hard part."

"He doesn't talk to people much," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"He –"

He was cut off by the bell and Mr. Drake's voice. We looked up as Mr. Drake pulled out an old top hat. Inside the hat were tiny strips of paper with everybody's' name on them. Actually, half of them had names on them. The other half were blank, though I had no idea why. I just knew from past experiences.

"Okay everyone," he said, "Like I said at the beginning of the year, you will be required to partner up and do a big project. I will pass out the instructions after you draw your partner."

He began walking around the room having kids draw from the hat. As he walked around, I turned back to Simon.

"You were saying?" I said.

"Oh yeah," he said," Well, he doesn't really see a point in it."

"How so?" I asked.

"Well, he can get what he needs without actually making contact with someone, so he figures, if he doesn't need to, why bother?"

"And what planet is _he _from?" I asked, smiling.

Simon laughed. "Whatever it is, I probably can't pronounce it. It's probably some really long word, just the way he likes it."

"He likes long words?" I asked.

"Not directly," Simon said, "He's smart. I mean, _really_ smart. So long words? Not a problem."

Before I could respond, Mr. Drake got to us and held out the hat. I reached into it and pulled out the folded paper. Simon then grabbed his and Mr. Drake continued on. When he got to the front, he turned and faced the class.

"Okay, now you can unfold and see who your next partner is," he declared.

As everybody opened theirs, I heard many groans as people got who they didn't want. Simon opened his and a confused look passed over his face.

"Got a blank one?" I asked.

"Yeah. What's that mean?" he asked.

"Half the class gets blanks. The other half gets the names of the kids who got the blanks."

"Who did you get?" he asked.

I held mine up and he smiled.

"Cool," he said as he read his own name, "What do you want to do the project on?"

We spent the rest of the class talking about possible topics for our project. When the bell rang, I said bye and went to my locker to get my French stuff.

When I got to French, the first thing I noticed was that the seat next to mine, which was usually empty, was occupied. Derek Souza sat staring out the window. I walked to my seat and sat down.

"Looking at anything in particular?" I asked.

"Nope," he said.

"So, did you pick a classic for English, yet?" I asked, trying to find something to talk about.

"Nope," he said.

"Do you know any other word?" I asked.

"Nope," he said.

"Well what do you know, the human dictionary," I said sarcastically as I leaned onto my hand.

I heard a small sound coming from next to me. When I looked over, I saw that he was silently laughing. Smiling, I turned to the front.

After French, I headed to my last class of the day: theatre. It also happened to be my favorite class. I really want to be a director, and so far, this is as close as I can get. I have theatre with two of my friends: Liz Delaney and Jake Shaw.

Jake is a junior. He is Maggie's older brother. I'm an only child, but Jake and Maggie are a perfect substitute. I've been going to school with them since I started. Their parents died when they really young in a fire that destroyed their home, so they live with their grandmother. My home was their sanctuary away from their grandmother's sewing circles and baking clubs.

When I walked into theatre, I was immediately grabbed around the waist and lifted up.

"Jake!" I said, laughing, "Put me down!"

"Nope," he said.

"And why not?" I asked.

"Something might happen to you. You could get hurt," he said, joking, "You could break your leg or worse, stub your toe."

"Very funny," I said, "Now put me down."

"Alright. But when you trip, I told you so."

When I was finally back on my feet, I turned and faced him. His brown hair was beginning to fall in his face, like he needed to get it cut, but on him, the look worked. The combination of his laughing blue eyes and cocky smile was enough to send any girls heart into hyper drive. After growing up with it, it didn't affect me, but that didn't stop every other girl from tripping over each other just to get near him.

"I don't always trip," I told him.

"Well not always," he said. "You take a break every other month or so."

I fixed him with a mock glare, while trying not to smile. Turning around, I began walking to the other side of the room, towards Liz, who was wildly waving her arms trying to get my attention. Jake came up next to me and threw his arm over my shoulder. Liz was sitting on one of the tables placed off to the side. Her long blond hair was up in a pony and swinging side to side. Underneath her green sweatshirt, I could see her Mickey Mouse shirt peeking out.

"What's got you so excited," I asked her.

"I just had geometry with the new girl," she said.

"I have biology with her," I said, "And with Simon. I also have French with Derek."

"Well, I like her so far," she said, matter-of-factly.

"You like everybody," I pointed out.

"Well, yeah," she said, giggling.

"What are you two talking about?" Jake asked, looking confused.

"The three new kids," I explained.

"Oh, "he said.

"Do you have any classes with them?" Liz asked him.

"Let's see," he said, "I have government with Simon and Derek. Algebra with Simon. And Spanish with Tori."

"What do you think of them," I asked.

"Simon's fine. I can see a potential friendship there. Also he's trying out for basketball, so I'll see him at practice. Derek's OK. He doesn't talk much. Or at all. And Tori's kinda hot."

"Gonna ask her out?" I asked, smiling.

"Gonna try," he said, returning the smile.

"Good luck," I said, "You're gonna need it."

"You don't think I can do it?"

"Nope."

"All right then, "he said. "Let's make a bet. If I can Tori to go out with me, you owe me a week of English homework."

"And what's in it for me?" I asked.

"Hmm… well we have to make this a little of a challenge," he said," Ok, I've got one. If you can get Derek to go out with you, you can pick what you want."

"That's – "

"I wasn't finished," he said, that cocky smile growing into a devious one. "You have to get Derek to go out with you. But he has to be the one to do the asking."

Before I could answer, the teacher came in. I waited until class was over and turned to Jake. Holding out my hand, I said, "Deal."

* * *

When I got home, I automatically went to my bedroom and closed the door. When I threw my bag on the bed, I heard, "Hey, watch where you throw that."

Turning around, I saw Beth sitting on my bed. Beth happened to be another friend of mine. The difference between her and my other friends, however, was that Beth was a ghost.

Looking at Beth, I said, "You can't feel it."

"And?" she said, smiling. She leaned back on my bed, putting her arms behind her head. As she leaned, my deep blue comforter didn't move. Neither did the matching pillow when her head hit it.

Shaking my head, I grabbed my bag off the bed and walked over to my desk. Pushing aside my laptop, I began to empty the bag. Taking out the hours of homework, I set it on my desk.

"And…?" Beth said, jumping up and walking over to me.

"And what?" I asked, confused.

"What do you mean, and what?" she said, putting her hands on her hips. "How was your day?"

"Boring," I said, dryly, sorting through my homework.

"Oh, come on!" she said, "I'm dead. What else am I supposed to do than listen to you talk? Tell me everything."

"Fine," I said, sitting down on my bed, where she joined me. "What do you want to know?"

"Hmm…," she said, tapping her chin. "Start with first hour: history."

"Like I said, boring. The teacher talked the entire time about the Constitution, so I couldn't talk to Rae. Plus, she gave us more homework than somebody can possibly do," I told her.

"Yuck, homework. How about geometry?" she asked.

"I had no idea what he was talking about the entire time," I said.

"Why not get a tutor?" she asked.

"That's the second time I heard that advice today," I said.

"Then take it," she said, making it sound as if it was obvious.

"I don't need somebody I don't know reminding me that I'm stupid."

"You're not stupid," she said, "Just academically challenged."

"Thanks for that," I said, sarcastically.

"Moving on…how was English?"

"We talked more about classics," I said, "Oh, that reminds me. There are three new kids."

"Are there any hot guys?" she asked, raising her eyebrows when she said hot.

"Do you think about anything else?" I asked her.

"Nope," she responded, popping the p. "Who are they?"

"There's a girl named Tori, and two boys – Simon and Derek."

"Are they hot?" she said, getting on her knees and leaning forward to catch all the details.

"I'm not answering that."

"Fine," she said, dropping down on her butt.

"Anyway, as I was saying. Derek is in my English class. He sits next to me."

"What's he like?"

"Quiet," I said simply.

"That's it? That's all you got?" she asked, clearly disappointed.

"What else was I supposed to get?"

"You're hopeless," she responded, "How about biology?"

"The other new kids are in it. Simon sits next to me and Tori in front of me. We also got our partners for our next project. I'm with Simon."

"What's the project?" she asked.

"We haven't decided yet."

"Ok," she said. "How was French?"

"Derek sits next to me. I got him to laugh."

"So?"

"If you saw him, you'd be proud of me."

"We'll see about that. And how was theatre?"

"Normal. Jake attacked me as soon as I got into the room, the teacher talked all hour, oh, and Jake and I made a bet."

"What kind of bet?" she asked, her curiosity clear on her face.

"If Jake can get Tori to go out with him, then I have to do his English homework for a week. If I can get Derek to ask me out, I can pick what I want. But I don't think I'm gonna do it. It seems silly."

"What! You have to do it!" she said, leaning into me.

"Why?"

"Because, it would be hilarious. And I'll help."

"How are you going to help?"

"Well, I can help get Derek to ask you out. I can tell what to do and what to say," she said, trying to think of something to get me to let her help.

"Well…," I said hesitantly, "I guess."

"Yes!" she cheered, jumping up and dancing across the room. Running back, she said, "You will not be disappointed."


	2. Need A Hand?

**Okay everyone, I bring you a new chapter. And as a side note, in the chapter when I mention Christmas break, I know people celebrate other holidays, but it's what I celebrate, so sorry if that upsets anyone. Also, I didn't mention it in the last chapter, but Beth is 16.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**The total points so far are:**

**Team-EricSookie = 40**

**Bookninja15 = 20**

**xxNecro-Grlxx = 40**

**Crazy 10 Girl 16 = 20**

**Hysterical Mess = 20**

**Mrbear10 = 20**

** = 20**

**Dream Dark = 10 (you were really close)**

**Moon-called-princess = 10 (I loved your answer)**

**The answer was that it was daylight.**

_What ten letter word starts with g-a-s?_

School the next day passed normally, at first. I got through history fine. I talked to Rae the entire hour. We were supposed to be working on a worksheet, but my brain didn't want to think. After that, I went to geometry, which was, as always, the hardest class of the day. As the teacher talked about the properties of a triangle, everything went right over my head into the great beyond. I tried at math. I really did. But it never seemed to click for me. Everybody said I should get a tutor, but I don't want to bother anyone and waste their time because that's exactly what it would be. A waste of time. Not that I wouldn't try to understand what they were saying, but I still wouldn't get it.

As I left math, I started to make my way over to my locker. The halls were unnaturally busy today. Everybody was either running to their locker, a class they were late for, or, and most likely, running to ask someone to the big dance in two weeks. It was the last dance before Christmas break, so everybody was in a fury. Not that we haven't had this dance before, but nobody was sure that we were going to have it this year because of an incident in the cafeteria involving a Halloween pumpkin and the head of the principal. Since they announced earlier today that the dance was back on, everybody decided today was the day to ask someone. I didn't expect anyone to ask me. They never did. All my friends were going as a group, but I wasn't even sure if I was going.

When I got to my locker, Tori was already at hers. Unfortunately for me, so was every single person she seemed to have met yesterday surrounding her locker, talking. Groaning, I looked for a place to slip in a quickly grab my stuff for English. There was none. I walked up to one of the people in the back and asked them politely if I could sneak through and get to my locker. The girl in question, however, didn't see the need for me to get to my locker and get to class on time because she glared at me and turned back to the group. From behind me, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning around, I saw Simon standing behind me, grinning at my predicament.

"Need a hand?" he asked.

"Please," I said, holding out my hand for him to proceed.

Shooting me one last grin, he stepped back into the middle of the hall and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Ladies."

Turning around, every single one of the girls advanced on Simon, who, in return, began to run down the hall, with every girl chasing after him. Laughing, I turned back to my now clear locker and opened it. Grabbing my stuff, I shut the door and raced towards English. Just as I stepped through the door, the bell rang and I let out a sigh of relief. On time. I missed detention.

Walking back to my seat, I passed Maggie, who upon seeing me late gave me a questioning look. I mouthed "later" and continued to my seat. Derek was already at his seat and seeing him reminded me of a certain bet I had made with Jake and had completely forgot about after I talked to Beth. How was I going to get him to ask me out? Besides the fact that he wasn't the most social, I had never been asked out before and had no idea what to do. Rae would probably know, but, knowing her, she wouldn't be able to keep the bet a secret and would probably put it in the next issue of the school newspaper. Liz has been asked out a lot, so she might know something, but she wouldn't have to the time to help me. She's in a lot of clubs, as well as soccer. The team couldn't play now because of the snow, but that didn't mean they weren't constantly practicing in the gym. I'd talk to Maggie, but she'd laugh at the immaturity of Jake and me. That left me with Beth. As much advice as she could give me, I was limited to seeing her at home, so she was no help for when it actually counted.

Taking a deep breath, I walked up to my seat and sat down, taking out my stuff and neatly arranging it on the right corner. Looking at the pile, I knew something was missing but I couldn't seem to remember what it was. I had my textbook, my binder, my pencil….

"Chloe!" I voice next to me said.

Jumping, I looked over and saw Derek holding out my notebook. Remembering that I had let him borrow it yesterday, I reached out and grabbed it with a "thank." Setting it down in front of me, I realized Derek had yelled my name.

Turing to him, I said "Why did you yell my name?"

"You were zoning out, "he said, simply.

Face turning red, I mumbled, "Oh."

I turned to face the front so he couldn't see my face. He seemed to have seen it though because, like yesterday, I heard his silent laughter next to me. Before I could question it any further, the teacher came into the room and immediately started talking.

"Okay, I will be passing around the clip board so that everybody can write down the name of the classic they will be reading. Also, there is a sign-up sheet for anybody who is interested in volunteering to help collect money and decorate for the dance," she explained as she handed passed on the clip board to the first person. As it passed from person to person, nobody wrote down their names for the dance committee. When it got to me, the list was blank. Writing Pride and Prejudice as my classic, I turned to the empty paper and clearly printed my name. Handing the board to Derek, I turned to listen to what the teacher was talking about.

For the rest of English, I spent most of the time ignoring the teacher. I didn't do it on purpose. My mind was just in a different place. I kept thinking about how I was going to get Derek to ask me out. Of course, there was no real reason he had to ask me out. He didn't know me. I really wasn't anything to him. In order to get him to ask me out, I needed to change that. I needed him to know I existed beyond the seat in English class. I needed him to notice me.

I spent the rest of English thinking of ways to get Derek to notice me. I didn't want to do too much so that it was obvious, just so that I could get his attention. But as much as I thought, I always hit the same obstacle. I had never dated anyone before. I hadn't even been asked out by anyone. I didn't know what made a guy ask a girl out, just that whatever it was, I didn't have it. I didn't want to ask my friends for direct help. I could just ask them why guys asked them out. Hopefully without making it awkward. It was then that another thought hit me. What did Derek like in girls? Just because one guy might like girls slathered in makeup doesn't mean they all do.

I looked over at Derek out of the corner of my eye. He looked bored. His head was resting in his hand, his elbow supporting it as he listened to the teacher talk about due dates for our papers or Powerpoints. His black hair fell around his face like a wall. His mouth was turned down in a slight frown. On the desk, he rested his other arm, tapping his fingers rhythmically, impatient for the class to be over. Looking at his face, I searched for marks.

Not obvious marks, just signs of a deeper nature. And I saw it in the way he naturally turned down his lips, like he wasn't used to smiling or didn't see a point in it. I wondered what had happened to him to make his so somber. Simon had said that he was his foster brother. I wondered if that had anything to do with it. What was his life like before he became Simon's brother? What happened to his parents?

There were other marks, like the slight wrinkle between his eyes, a sign of constant worry or anger. Or maybe fear? What did he have to be afraid of? Or worry about for that matter? Was there something wrong at home? Was he abused or neglected? Simon didn't make it seem like anything was wrong, and I couldn't see any bruises, but I couldn't see past the massive sweatshirt he always wore. What was he hiding underneath? What pain had he suffered to create such a solemn face?

As I was looking at his face, his eyes turned towards mine. Gasping, I looked to the front, my face changing many shades of red. He had caught me staring. What was he thinking now? Did he think I was weird for staring at him? I really hoped not. This was going to be hard enough as it was. Him thinking I'm weird would just give me more work.

When the bell rang, I immediately grabbed my things and followed Maggie out into the hallway. If she noticed my awkwardness, she never said anything. She just followed me to my locker as I put away my things. As we walked to lunch, I turned to Maggie and asked, "What do guys see in you?"

Sputtering a laugh, she looked at me and said, "Wanna try rephrasing that?"

My face heating up again, I stuttered, "I-I-I didn't mean it that way."

"I know," she laughed. We walked into the cafeteria and found our table with Rae and Liz, who were already jabbering about something. "What did you mean?"

"Why do guys ask you out?" I said.

"I don't know," she said, "I guess the basics. You know the whole cheesy line. 'You're smart, funny, etc…' Why?"

"Just wondering," I said, sitting down. Maggie did the same. When she did she started talking to them, getting into the conversation. Well that's just great. I don't even have to basics for guys. I'm not smart. I'm failing geometry. I'm not funny. The only time I can get a guy to laugh is at me not with me. Being the klutz that I am, I'm always tripping on something or knocking something over. One thing Maggie had left out was looks. Unlike me, Maggie was actually pretty. Her sleek brown hair actually cooperated with her. And she had the curves that I couldn't seem to get. I'm the redefinition of flat-chested. There was no way I could call myself pretty, so how could I expect a guy to think so?

When the bell rang to tell that lunch was over, I hadn't even touched my food. I just dumped it into the garbage and walked to my locker. When I grabbed my stuff for biology, I narrowly missed my fingers getting slammed in my locker door as Tori strolled up to her locker. Sighing, I just continued on my way, not in the mood to tell her off. When I got to biology, Simon wasn't there yet, but a dozen girls were. All were surrounding our table, waiting for his arrival. I tried to elbow my way through to my seat, failing to do so. The girl in front of me turned around to look at me. It was the same girl from before. Giving me a once-over, she sneered, as if to say, 'what makes you think you a chance with Simon?'

My usually dormant temper rising, I slammed by book onto the table and everybody turned to stare at me. I used their surprise to my advantage, pushing through, them too busy in shock to realize what I was doing. As I sat down, Simon walked in and the bell rang. As he walked to his seat, the girls circled around like a horde of buzzards waiting for their next meal. In the rush of voices, I could make out "dance" and "date."

Before anyone got violent, the teacher came in and quieted the mob, allowing for Simon to get to his seat. Flashing me a smile, he turned to the teacher as he began to talk. As he explained the project again, he handed out a list of topics to choose from. When we got ours, I looked down at it. Half the words I couldn't pronounce. By the look on Simon's face, I'm guessing he couldn't either.

"So…," he said, "Any ideas?"

"Nope," I said simply.

"Well," he said, dragging out the conversation. "Do you understand any of this?"

"Nope," I said again.

"Who know who does, though?" he said, looking up at me. "Derek."

"He's not here," I pointed out.

"I know, but I could talk to him tonight and ask his opinion on which would be the easiest," he said.

"That might work. You ask him what he thinks and let me know tomorrow, cause I really don't care which one we do," I responded.

"Good. As long as it is nothing overly gross, I'm fine," he said.

As I tried to hide a smile, he asked, "What's so funny?"

"You're a guy and you're worried about getting something gross?" I asked.

"Hey, I have seen some gross things that you wouldn't believe," he said, his smiling growing.

"Such as?" I asked, returning the smile.

"Such as my 79-year-old grandma making out with her boyfriend," he said.

"Okay, I'll admit, that is gross," I said, laughing.

Because we didn't have a topic yet, we spent the hour exchanging gross experiences. He beat everything I had with the story about his grandma, which had a little too much detail for my liking. When class ended, I went directly to French, which I spent looking straight ahead, not wanting to see if Derek was looking at me funny. When the bell rang, I rushed out and into theatre. When I got there, I walked to my seat and sat next to Jake. Looking at me, he asked me, "He ask you out yet?"

"Nope," I said. "Tori say yes yet?"

"Nope."

And with that, we stayed silent the entire hour, neither betraying the silent war between us that I had every intention of winning. When the class ended, I put everything in my locker, heading to the gym. The first dance committee meeting was today. When I walked into the gym, I froze at the first thing I saw. Across the gym, leaning against the folded up bleachers, was Derek.

Over my initial shock of seeing Derek in the gym, my brain began working again. What was he doing here? Was he on the dance committee? Before I could talk to him, Ms. Wallus walked in and started the meeting. There weren't that many people. Maybe about fifteen. And only about 5 of those people looked like they wanted to be here. The other ten people looked like they couldn't believe they let their friends drag them into this. Looking over at Derek, he seemed to be leaning towards the majority.

"Alright everyone. We have only two weeks to plan this dance. We have to make plans concerning decorations, food, entertainment, etc. . I will be splitting everybody into groups to make these plans. There will be about three or so to a group. I will let everybody pick their groups, but there must be no more than three. No exceptions," Ms. Wallus explained.

I watched everybody running to the sign-up sheet. The food and entertainment went fast. I looked over at Derek, who looked like he could care less what he was stuck with. I walked over to him and asked, "Want to do the decorations with me?"

He looked down at me, surprise flashing across his face before he quickly replaced it with a blank look. "Sure."

I turned around and walked to the sheet. Looking behind me, I expected to see Derek standing where I had left him, but to my surprise, he was right behind me. Recovering fast, I signed my name, and moved over so he could sign his. After he had done so, I looked over at the list to see who we were going to be working with. Upon seeing the name, I groaned.

"What?" Derek asked.

I jumped, forgetting that he was there and could hear me. Pointing to the list, I said, "Amber Long."

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, confused.

"She's a cheerleader. As in, moocher," I said.

Nodding in understanding, he continued looking at the lists.

"The only reason that she signed up in the first place is so that she could get all the credit for making the dance a success," I said angrily.

When Derek looked down at me, raising an eyebrow at my outburst, my face instantly went red and I looked down at my hands. Mumbling, I said, "Sorry. I don't usually yell. She just makes me angry."

"Why?" he asked.

"Huh?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Why does she make you angry?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter," I said, avoiding the question.

Looking at me for another second, Derek nodded and looked around. "So which one's Amber?"

Looking around, I spotted her sitting on one of the tables. Her fans were crowded around her. I pointed her out to Derek, who just looked at her and scowled.

"What?" I asked. "Do you know her?"

"Not her. People like her," he said, his face settling into his usual frown.

"Cheerleaders?" I asked.

"Not just cheerleaders. Popular girls. Girls who think that if they put on makeup and drown themselves in perfume, then they all have to do is snap their fingers and everything just magically appears in front of them," he said, disgusted.

"Or wiggle their noses," I mumbled.

Looking up, I saw Derek looking at me like I had gone crazy.

"What?" I asked.

"Wiggle their noses?" he asked, confused.

"Bewitched," I said.

"What?" he asked still confused.

"The TV show?" I offered.

When he still didn't understand, I said, "It's an old TV show that my mom and I used to watch. It's about a witch named Samantha who tries to live a normal life without magic when she marries a human. She can do whatever she wants by wiggling her nose."

He nodded, understanding. We stood in an awkward silence for a few minutes before he spoke.

"You and your mom don't watch it anymore?" he asked.

Looking down, I swallowed, trying to hold back the tear that what threatening to fall.

"No," I said softly, almost to myself.

"Why not?" he asked.

"We can't," I answered.

He looked down at me, confused. Taking a deep breath, I straightened and said, "She died when I was six."

"Oh," he said. And that was it. No 'I'm sorry for your loss' or 'she's in a better place.' And I was grateful for that. I had been hearing those lines for ten years and I still hear them whenever people find out. But nobody really cares. They just can't think of something better to say.

Looking at the floor, a thought hit me. "What are you doing here?"

"Here?" he said.

"On the dance committee," I said.

"They made me," he admitted.

"Who made you?" I asked.

"The counselors. They thought I should be involved more with the other students. Simon's in basketball and Tori's in the computer club. I tried to explain to them that my lack of school activities was intentional, but they wouldn't have it," he grumbled.

Then out of nowhere, I started laughing. Even when Derek looked at me like I have grown another head, I kept laughing. I couldn't stop. Holding my stomach, I gasped for breath, my eyes starting to water.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"I – "gasp "don't – "gasp "know," I struggled to say. Laughing for another minute, I was finally able to stop. Gasping for breath, I looked at Derek and smiled.

"What?" he asked.

"Poor you," I said, jokingly.

"What did I do?" he asked.

"You're being tortured by being forced to help me decorate for the big dance," I explained.

Eyes widening in understanding, his face softened and a small smile escaped his lips. "Yep."

"Don't worry. I won't go easy on you. I'll make you work harder than you have before," I said.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" he asked.

"Uh huh," I said, matter-of-factly.

"You're weird," he said. "But I can live with that." With that, he turned and walked out of the gym, following everybody else going home, leaving me staring after him. What did he mean by that? Did he plan on spending more time with me?

This meeting with Derek just left me with more question than I had before. But I had learned something. Derek doesn't like popular girls.

When I got home, I automatically went to my room and set my bag down by my desk. Leaving my room, I walked around the apartment and made sure that my dad wasn't home. He normally wasn't, but I needed to make sure. I didn't want him walking in on me talking to myself. He didn't know my secret. Nobody did. I wasn't even sure why I could see ghosts or talk to them. It started last year when I went away for a week to an art school. I had my normal classes, but I also was able to participate in their state-of-the-art theatre program. One day after I was leaving school, I saw somebody following me back to the hotel I was staying in. I started to freak out, but nobody around me was reacting to the man. When I got to the hotel doors, I turned around to see if the man was still there. As he was walking toward me, somebody didn't see him and I was about to shout at them to watch out, when they walked right through him. That scared me and I ran up to the room and waited for my aunt, who accompanied me to the hotel, came back from a doctor conference she was attending. When she got back, I told her about what had happened. She freaked out and took me to a strange hospital. They didn't know what was wrong with me, but I overheard them discussing schizophrenia when they thought I wasn't there. They suggested to me aunt to send me to a group home to monitor me for a week. After that, we didn't talk about what had happened. She hadn't told my dad, who was in China at a meeting, about the incident so I never did either. I still saw people who weren't there, I just never told my aunt about it again. After a year, she seemed to have forgotten it happened. Nobody but me and her know I was in that home, and nobody but me knows I can see dead people. I figured out that they were ghosts about a month later when one showed up in my bedroom.

She was a sixteen year old girl with long black hair falling in her face and devious blue eyes shining with mischief from the start. Her name was Beth. She didn't tell me she was a ghost, she let me figure that out on my own. I didn't even know she was real. It wasn't until I found an article on the internet about a local teen dying in a car accident just down the street from the apartments that I knew she was a ghost. When I confronted her about this, she admitted it. When I asked her why she hadn't moved on, she told me that she didn't know, but she liked it here. When she didn't leave, I began to get used to her. I talked to her and told her everything I couldn't tell anyone else. In return, she told me about me. she told me that I was a necromancer, but that's all she knew, so I looked it up. I learned about what I was and what I could do, but it didn't teach me how I could do it. I didn't know anybody else who could do it, so I was left with Beth who tried to find information when she could and then she told me about it. She said that she wasn't supposed to. That I wasn't supposed to be able to find out about these things, but nothing has stopped me yet.

Confirming that I was home alone, I went back to my room and called for Beth. However, she didn't come. After calling for her a few more times, I gave up. Instead, I started working on my homework. After spending an hour on my geometry homework, I was only on the sixth question. Groaning, I crossed my arms and set them on the desk, leaning my head on them. Maybe Maggie and Beth were right. Maybe I should get a tutor. But how would I get one? The school didn't provide tutors. I would have to find somebody by myself. Maybe Maggie might know some –

"Whatcha doin?" a voice asked behind me.

Yelping, I jumped, toppling the chair I was sitting on and sending me crashing to the floor. Looking up, I saw Beth standing over me, an apologetic smile on her face.

"I'd help you up, but…" she said.

"I got it," I said, grabbing the edge of my desk and pulling myself up. "Why didn't you come when I called?"

"Sorry, I was busy," she said.

"Doing what?" I asked, picking up my chair and returning to the desk.

"Nothing…just watching someone," she said, turning away, but not before I saw the sly smile forming on her lips.

"Who?" I asked.

"Nobody," she said, in an innocent voice.

"Beth," I said, a warning tone.

"Fine, you beat it out of me," she said, dramatically, causing me to roll my eyes. "I followed you to school today."

"What!" I said, "I told you not to. I cant have people seeing me talking to myself."

"That's why I kept out of sight. You didn't even know I was there," she said.

"Because you're not supposed to be there," I said.

"Just listen to me for a sec, okay?" she pleaded.

"Go on," I said, sighing.

"Okay, so I followed you around school so I could see who Derek is and what I have to work with. By the way, school is even more boring than I remember. I fell asleep during your history class and it wasn't until somebody sent a paper airplane through my head that I woke up. You were already gone and it was the end of your geometry class, which you suck at by the way. I followed you to English and who do I see sitting next to you? Only the person I had been looking for. Mr. tall, dark, and handsome himself. And I cannot stress enough the handsome part. We are talking full on hot. I wish I could have seen him without that baggy sweatshirt, but what could I do? I saw you sign the list for the committee, but he just passed it on and I thought, well that would have been perfect if he was on the committee, but he just had to ruin my plans. Also, you might want to keep the obvious staring to a minumim, cause, though it was funny as hell, he might think you've gone crazy. During lunch, I walked around the cafeteria looking for him, only to be disappointed. I walked around the hallways instead and found him in the library, looking for a book. How boring. Anyway, then I followed you to biology and see you talking to some blond kid. Well I got closer, but not close enough for you to see me, and listened in. from that, I learned who Simon was and that he has a very disturbing grandmother. When you were in French, you were very boring . you wouldn't even look at him! He, however, looked at you. Not much, but enough to know that your little staring scene earlier got his attention. also, maybe you should take lessons from him on how to stare at people, cause he knows how to do it right. Then, instead of following you to theatre, I followed him to his last class, which is criminology. I didn't listen to the teacher cause I really didn't care about crime, so I just watched him. all he did was take notes and pay attention. how boring. So when his class got done, finally, I followed him to the gym and I got really confused. Then I saw you come in and I figured out what was going on. By the way, I am so proud of you. You talked to him all on you own. after, I followed him to his car, where he met Simon and a girl, who I assume was Tori. As he drove home, I sat in the back seat with Tori and listened to them talk. I didn't understand them though."

"What didn't you understand?" I asked.

"well, they were talking about weird things," she said.

"Weird how?" I asked.

"Well, Tori said something about a spell she was working on. Maybe she's some kind of Wicca. Then Simon asked Derek about his next change," she said.

"Change of what?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know," she said. "he just said something about he had already changed that week and he wouldn't need to until next weekend."

Thinking about everything she had said, I absently thanked her and grabbed my pajamas as I headed into the bathroom to shower. Change of what? Clothes? I didn't think so. I was wearing different clothes than yesterday. Then something else that Beth had said popped into my head. He was staring at me?


	3. This Was A Bad Idea

**Okay everyone, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed. I really appreciated it. Anyway, I present to you a new chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers **

**Point totals:**

**Team-EricSookie = 20**

**Dream Dark = 20**

**Moon-called-princess = 10**

**Fanstorylover91 = 10**

**Pinklinlin = 20**

**The answer to the riddle was a beard. Some of you need to get your minds out of the gutter. **

_What rises up in the morning and waves all day? _ And no, it's not what you're thinking.

I spent the rest of the evening working on homework. It took until two o' clock in the morning, but I finally finished my math homework. Most of that time, however, I wasn't thinking about math. I was too distracted thinking about what Beth had told me. I had gotten past the Derek was staring at me thing, though it still entered my thoughts, and was focused on what they were talking about on their way home. Could they be like me? Different. Or was Beth right and they are humans only playing pretend. Tori could easily be into Wiccan. And if she believed enough, she might think that she could do spells. There was no indication that Simon believed he was anything. And the changing comment could easily be anything from the sheets on his bed to his socks.

So, no, they weren't like me. They were normal. Walking over to my bed, I fell backwards onto it and sank into the thick, soft comforter. My eyes closed and sleep didn't wait long before I was sucked into dreamland. The night was filled with odd dreams, though as soon as I almost figured it out, my alarm blared.

Groaning, I rubbed my hands over face. Sitting up, I stretched my arm up and heard the faint pop of my joints. Sighing, I looked around me. The sun streamed in through the deep blue curtains, illuminating the middle of my room, over the bottom of my bed and onto my deep forest green walls. My aunt was concerned when she saw the color scheme I had chosen. She thought my choice of dark colors was a sign that I hadn't gotten over the loss of my mother. She was right about the not getting over my mother part, but she was wrong about the reason I had chosen the colors. They reminded me of the water. My blankets and pillows were a deep blue, like the bottom of the water. My walls were a dark green, because if you look at the water just right, you can see the green dancing in the waves. My mom had taken me to Lake Erie once, just before she died. We watched the waves slap the shore and the sun set reflecting off the water's surface. I always wished I could go back, but Aunt Lauren hates the water, she's afraid I'll drown, and Dad's always too busy to take me.

Getting out of bed, I walked to the bathroom and started my daily routine. Teeth, face, hair, all check. As I walked back into my room, I heard a small cough and I turned around. Beth was sitting in my chair.

"What?" I asked.

"What's my assignment today, boss?" she asked as she swung her legs back and forth.

"No assignment," I said, turning around to look in my closet.

"Oh, come on! What else do I have to do?" she asked, jumping up and coming up next to me.

"If you want to come with me, you can. But if you do, you cannot in any way talk to me when people are around. If somebody sees me talking to myself, they'll tell the nurse that I've gone crazy. And it doesn't help that the school nurse is my aunt," I explained, flipping from shirt to shirt.

"Fine. No talking. I can do that," she said. After a while of watching me search for an outfit, she sighed and said, "You, my friend, are fashionably challenged."

"How," I asked, stopping to look at her.

"For one thing, you've been looking in there for ten minutes and haven't found anything to wear," she said, causing me to roll my eyes at her exaggeration. I had been looking for three minutes. "Second, you don't know what to wear to get Derek's attention."

"Derek doesn't like popular girls, so it doesn't really matter what I wear as long as I don't overdo it."

"That doesn't mean you can't dress nicely," she said.

"What's wrong with the way I dress now?" I asked, my hands going to my hips.

"Nothing," she said. Then, off to the side, she mumbled, "If you're seven."

"Hey! There is nothing wrong with what I'm wearing," I said, instantly regretting it once I realized I was still in my pajamas.

Beth squared he shoulders and pointed to my bed. "Sit."

I walked over to the bed and sat down, seeing no point in arguing with her. She walked over to my closet and started looking through my clothes. She can touch things as a ghost. I don't know how she does it, but I'm still new at these things, so I didn't question it. I watched her take things out, look at them and out them back. Taking out a shirt, she smiled and threw it as me. It landed next to me on the bed. She took out a pair of jeans and examined them for a minute. Nodding in approval, she walked over and told me to put them on. Doing as she said, I looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't look like myself. She had chosen a pair of jeans that went a little too far down my hips and a shirt that showed a little more than I wanted seen.

"This isn't me," I told her.

"That's the point," she said, coming up behind me.

"Isn't he supposed to like me for me?" I asked.

"You're trying to get him to ask you out and win the bet. Not promise his eternal love," she said.

"Right," I said, remembering the purpose of this. "I'm still not convinced that I like it."

"You don't have to like the outfit. He does. And besides, it's not like you have time to change," she said.

Looking at the clock, I gasped. I had two minutes to get out the door. Throwing on my jacket, I grabbed my bag and rushed out the door, completely forgetting to grab something to eat on the way.

History passed like normal. Rae didn't comment on my outfit, but I wasn't worried. The world could have exploded and she wouldn't have noticed. She was too busy glaring daggers into the back of some boys head. She had apparently asked him to the dance, but he had said no. I tried to explain to her that he wasn't worth it, but that didn't stop her from silently declaring her hatred for him. I did get a few looks from guys that had never looked at me before, and probably didn't know beforehand that I existed. I would have been flattered if I didn't overhear one talking to him friend about me and how he'd love to ask me to the dance and see if I'd go to his place afterwards. Even I, with no experience with guys, knew he didn't want me over for milk and cookies.

Beth did indeed follow me to school. She followed me into history and walked around looking at everybody. It was movie day, so practically the entire class was asleep. Every time Beth walked passed somebody who was asleep, she would do something. Usually is was just a facial gesture, but the last guy who was asleep got a piece of paper pulled out from under his elbow, which was holding up his head. When the paper was pulled out, his head went crashing into his desk, and he had jerked his head up. The guy in front of him had looked back when he heard the noise and the first guy thought it was him who had pulled the paper and pulled the guys chair out, which sent him to the floor. While I glared at Beth for causing it, she was too busy rolling on the floor laughing. Sighing, I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head. Looking back up, I saw Beth up and back to her previous activity.

When the bell rang, I walked out of the room and rushed to geometry. I set my books down and hurried to the bathroom. Checking to make sure I was alone, I summoned Beth to me and fixed her with a glare, complete with crossed arms, when she appeared.

"What?" she asked, innocently.

"What do you mean what?" I asked, angry. Uncrossing my arms, I said, "What were you thinking? You could have been caught!"

"Caught by who?" she said. "I'm dead, remember. Nobody can see me. And besides, they came up with their own answer."

"You got an innocent kid hurt," I said, trying to get her to understand.

"He fell to the floor. It's not like the guy punched him," she said.

"No more," I warned her before walking out of the bathroom and back to my geometry room. Sitting down, I took out my homework I had to diligently completed and set in on the corner of my desk for Mr. Stang to collect. Feeling confident, I sat up straight. When I looked at the person in front of me's homework, however, I began to slouch back. Looking over at the girl next to me, I leaned back into my seat. I got everything wrong. I didn't understand what I was doing wrong. I tried. I really did. But I never seemed to be able to get anything right. And to make it worse, there was a big test next week. If I didn't pass, my dad wouldn't be happy. He wasn't mean to me, not ever. I rarely ever saw him. But if I failed math, he would take away my car keys and my car with it. I'm not a big driver. I usually walk to school. When it rains or snows, I take my car, but any other time, I keep it parked. But now it was winter, and as much as I enjoyed the exercise, the cold wasn't as fun as it sounds.

I listened to Mr. Stang talk about the test and what was going to be on it. At the end of the class, he handed out a review packet. Taking one look at it, my spirits sunk even lower. I didn't understand anything on it. Groaning, I stuffed the packet into my bag and walked out. When I got to my locker, I quickly replaced by books and walked to English. Sitting down in my seat, I tried to look on the bright side. I was gonna see Derek and his reaction to my outfit change. Will he like it?

When he walked in, I knew instantly he didn't. From the look we was giving my clothes, I knew this was a really bad idea. Disgust was clear from the way he turned up his lip. My face turning bright red, I sank into my seat, looking anywhere but his face. When he sat down, he didn't say anything, just stared up at the front of the room.

When Ms. Wallus started class, I tried to focus on her, but my mind kept wandering. _What was I thinking? He probably thinks I'm a big ditz._ Looking over at him, I could see a scowl imbedded on his face. Groaning silently, I leaned my head onto the desk.

"Well I think this is going great!" Beth said next to me.

Ignoring her, I kept my head leaning on the desk.

"Well, he could have said something, but, you know, he's probably just had a bad day," she said, enthusiastically. Lifting my head, I glanced over at her and mumbled, "This was a bad idea."

"Come on, the day has only began. Trust me, by the end of the day, he'll be drooling over you," she said.

"Drooling? Try grimacing," I muttered.

"Well that's just an initial reaction," she said.

"I really doubt th –"

"Ms. Saunders, Mr. Souza, could you possibly keep the conversation until after class," Ms. Wallus said.

Looking up at her in horror, I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. _Oh no. now what am I going to do?_ Opening my mouth once more, Derek beat me to it.

"Yes ma'am," he said, looking at her.

"Thank you, now if I can begin again without any interruptions," she said.

Looking over at Derek, I couldn't believe what had just happened. He took the blame. He didn't even have anything to do with it, but he responded. After the initial shock of it, however, another thought came to me. _Now he must think that I'm crazy. _

After English, went to lunch, but I didn't eat. I wasn't in the mood. Instead, I just listened to my friends talking about the dance.

"I cannot believe he said no!" Rae complained. "I mean, what's wrong with me?"

"Where to begin," Beth muttered next to me. Glaring at her halfheartedly, I focused back on the conversation.

"Maybe it's a sign," Maggie said.

"A sign if what?" Rae asked, crossing her arms.

"That you don't have to have a date for the dance," she said. "I mean, I'm not going with anyone."

"But you never do," Rae answered.

Shrugging, Maggie turned back to her food.

"I haven't been asked either," Liz said, trying to lighten the mood.

"That's because Brady's been sick and hasn't been to school to ask you out," Rae said.

"Well, there is that," she said, smiling to herself.

"How about you?" Rae turned to me.

"What about me?" I asked.

"Has anybody asked you out yet?" she asked.

Looking down at me hands, I said, "I'm not even sure if I'm going to the dance."

"What!" Beth screamed next to me.

"How can you not go to the dance?" Rae asked.

"I don't know. I think I might just stay in and watch movies," I said.

"You are going if I have to go to your house and drag you there myself," Rae said just as the bell rang.

Rolling my eyes, I stood up with everybody else and left the cafeteria. When I got to my locker, Tori was already at hers, and I could tell this wasn't going to improve my day. I tried to ignore her as I took out my stuff, but she slammed my locker door.

"Tell your freaky friends to leave me alone," she said, angrily. If I didn't know better, I would say sparks were coming from her fingers.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"That guy, whatever his name is, won't leave me the hell alone. I keep telling him to go to hell, and that I won't go out with him, but he won't listen," she said.

"I'll see what I can do," I said, not in the mood to argue.

"Good," she said, turning and walking toward biology. Lifting my bag, I followed her.

"So I talked to Derek," Simon said, sitting down next to me.

"And what did he say?" I asked; glad to find something else to focus on.

"Well, he said the one on the reproductive cycle would be the easiest, but that kinda grossed me out, so I went with the one on decomposition," he said, smiling at me.

I started laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked, confused.

"You find reproduction gross, but rotting corpses isn't?" I said.

"Well, I'm a guy. I'm not supposed to know how that kind of things works. Besides, what does reproduction have to go with guys anyway?" he said.

"Well, "I said, trying not to laugh, "When a mommy and daddy love each other very much –"

"Ha-ha," he said, sarcastically.

"So how are we going to do a project on decomposition?" I said.

"Well, I figure we can do research on the process and stuff and I live by the woods, so I can probably send Derek to find dead things that we can study," he said.

"Well, I guess that sounds good," I said. "I think."

"Oh, it'll be fine," he said.

We spent the rest of class talking about the project. We decided to check books out from the library and do research from them during class. After class, I went to French and was, of course, ignored by Derek. I was definitely not looking forward to after school where I would have to talk with him and plan the dance.

Walking into the gym, I saw Derek standing in the same place as yesterday. Sighing, I began walking over to him. when I got there, I ignored the look he gave me and said," Where do you want to begin?"

"Doesn't matter," he said.

After a while of drawing out plans for decoration, we had lapsed into silence. After a while of studied the plans, Derek finally broke the silence. "What are you wearing?"

Startled by the question, I responded, "Clothes."

"Why?" he asked.

Confused, I answered, "Cause I need them."

"Why?" he asked again.

"Cause otherwise I would be naked," I said.

He gave me a look that clearly said 'that's not what I meant.'

Looking down at my hands, I said quietly, "Do I look bad?"

"You look like a cheerleader," he said.

"Is that bad?" I said, still looking at my hands.

"I hate cheerleaders," he mumbled.

Looking up at him, he was staring at disgust at amber and shooting daggers at the boy standing next to her who was currently checking me out. My face going red for the millionth time that day, I moved behind him, away from the view of the boy.

"Um I – I – think I'm gonna go now. My aunt's expecting me," I said, grabbing my stuff.

"Alright," he said, looking my way.

"Bye," I said, turning around and walking away. Before I got the door, I heard, "Chloe!"

Turning around, I saw Derek walking over to me. When he got in front of me, he said, "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure," I said, "Anything."

"Dress differently tomorrow. Wear sweats for all I care. Just don't dress like Tori," he said. "I get enough of that at home."

Smiling at the last part, I said, "Sure. I'll wear my ugliest clothes just for you."

His corners of his mouth turned up, "Thank you."

As he turned to walk away, he said, "And don't wear that god awful perfume."

My mouth hung open. _He can smell that?_

After leaving the gym, I began to make my way to the nurse's office. My aunt Lauren is the school nurse, so I go there a lot to talk to her. Today she's taking me out to eat. We go out every Thursday after school. Since my mom died, Aunt Lauren has tried to fill her place. Nobody will ever replace my mom, but at least Aunt Lauren tries.

Walking into the office, her inner door was shut, meaning she was with a student. Sitting down, I opened my bag and grabbed my math packet, waiting for her to finish. Before I started, the door opened. Looking up, I saw a boy come out. He was tall and lean with blond hair to his collar. He wore a plaid jacket and boots. His face was covered in bruises and his lip was split. He looked like a senior. Seeing me staring, his lips curled up in an almost predatory smile. As I sank farther into my chair, his smile only grew. As he took a step toward me, Aunt Lauren stepped out of her office. Glancing back at her, he threw me another smile like the first and walked out. Not noticing anything, Aunt Lauren said, "Hi. You ready to go?"

"Yeah," I said, putting my homework back into my bag and standing up. "Where are we going?"

"I thought we might try that new restaurant down the street."

"Alright."

A half hour later, we were sitting at our table just finishing our meal. I could tell Aunt Lauren wanted to talk about something, but every time she opened her mouth to speak, the shut it again. After a while of watching her trying to make up her mind, I said, "Who was that boy?"

Startled that I had spoken, she asked, "What boy?"

"The one that you were with before we left," I said.

"Oh," she said, understanding. "Liam Malloy."

"I haven't seen him around before," I said.

"Well, I wouldn't doubt it. I don't believe he has showed up for class more than ten times the whole year. And every time he does, he makes it known that he's there."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

She hesitated, clearly not comfortable with spilling secrets about another student. Taking a deep breath, she said, "He… well, I guess there's nothing wrong with me telling you. He's a trouble-maker. When he shows up, fights usually follow. And he is always in the middle of them."

"Oh," I said.

"He's trouble, Chloe," she said.

"I kinda got that," I said. Setting down my fork, I folded my hands in front of me and looked at Aunt Lauren. "Have you met any of the new kids?"

"Yes I have," she said, obviously not taking the hint.

"And what did you think of them?" I asked.

"I thought they were decent enough. The girl came in asking for an ice pack, though I have no idea why. She wasn't hurt. The boys came in with her. The smaller one did all the talking. The bigger one just stood by the door waiting until the other ones were finished. He didn't say anything. He only spoke when I asked him is name. "

"Oh," I said, I little disappointed that that was all she knew.

"However," she said, causing me to look up, straining forward. "He did help me transfer some supplies to my office."

"When?" I asked.

"Yesterday, I think. Yes, I believe it was yesterday. I had a shipment come in late. It was supposed to come in at 2:30, but it was an hour late and I only had ten minutes to move them from the truck to my office because I had a meeting. I was carrying a heavy box full of the new flu shots and they were very fragile. The box slipped from my hand and before it could hit the ground, he caught it. He must have been leaving. He asked if I needed any help and I told him yes."

Looking down at my empty plate, I smiled to myself.

"Chloe," Aunt Lauren said, startling me. Looking up, I asked, "What?"

"Have you decided if you are going to the dance?" she asked.

Sighing, I looked down and said, "I don't know yet."

"Well, why not?" she asked. "You're working so hard to get it together, you should enjoy yourself. And it will give you a chance to get out more. Do you have a date yet?"

"I don't even know if I'm going, so how would I have a date?" I asked.

"Nobody asked you yet?" she said, sympathetically.

"No," I said. "But that doesn't matter."

"Oh, honey, trust me, guys will be lining up to ask you out," she said.

"Aunt Lauren!" I said.

"What?" she asked.

Sighing, I leaned back in my chair and looked around me.

"So, I noticed you look different today," she said, trying to make it sound casual.

"I tried something different," I said, not meeting her eyes.

"Was it for a boy?" she asked. When I didn't answer, she got excited and said, "It is about a boy! Which one is it?"

"Nobody," I said.

"Fine, don't tell me, but if you need anything, I'm just a phone call away," she said.

"I know," I said.

"I thought I might take you to get something to wear to the dance," she said.

"Actually, I'm tired. It's been a long day and I kinda just want to go home and start on my homework," I said. I really just wanted to get home to talk to Beth.

"Alright then, I'll take you home," she said, grabbing her purse and standing up. Following suit, I followed her out to her car. The ride home was uneventful. When Aunt Lauren stopped the car, I quickly said goodbye and went inside.


	4. Is It About A Boy?

**Okay everyone, I am back. I would have updated sooner, but I just had my wisdom teeth taken out last Thursday and I needed to seriously recover. Anyway, I want to thank everybody who reviewed. I now have 176 reviews! Maybe I might break the 200 mark soon!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Points so far:**

**Team-EricSookie = 40**

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**Yep Yep Yep = 20**

**Elle = 20**

**The answer to the riddle was read the label.**

_What question can you never answer "yes" to?_

After leaving the gym, I began to make my way to the nurse's office. My aunt Lauren is the school nurse, so I go there a lot to talk to her. Today she's taking me out to eat. We go out every Thursday after school. Since my mom died, Aunt Lauren has tried to fill her place. Nobody will ever replace my mom, but at least Aunt Lauren tries.

Walking into the office, her inner door was shut, meaning she was with a student. Sitting down, I opened my bag and grabbed my math packet, waiting for her to finish. Before I started, the door opened. Looking up, I saw a boy come out. He was tall and lean with blond hair to his collar. He wore a plaid jacket and boots. His face was covered in bruises and his lip was split. He looked like a senior. Seeing me staring, his lips curled up in an almost predatory smile. As I sank farther into my chair, his smile only grew. As he took a step toward me, Aunt Lauren stepped out of her office. Glancing back at her, he threw me another smile like the first and walked out. Not noticing anything, Aunt Lauren said, "Hi. You ready to go?"

"Yeah," I said, putting my homework back into my bag and standing up. "Where are we going?"

"I thought we might try that new restaurant down the street."

"Alright."

A half hour later, we were sitting at our table just finishing our meal. I could tell Aunt Lauren wanted to talk about something, but every time she opened her mouth to speak, the shut it again. After a while of watching her trying to make up her mind, I said, "Who was that boy?"

Startled that I had spoken, she asked, "What boy?"

"The one that you were with before we left," I said.

"Oh," she said, understanding. "Liam Malloy."

"I haven't seen him around before," I said.

"Well, I wouldn't doubt it. I don't believe he has showed up for class more than ten times the whole year. And every time he does, he makes it known that he's there."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

She hesitated, clearly not comfortable with spilling secrets about another student. Taking a deep breath, she said, "He… well, I guess there's nothing wrong with me telling you. He's a trouble-maker. When he shows up, fights usually follow. And he is always in the middle of them."

"Oh," I said.

"He's trouble, Chloe," she said.

"I kinda got that," I said. Setting down my fork, I folded my hands in front of me and looked at Aunt Lauren. "Have you met any of the new kids?"

"Yes I have," she said, obviously not taking the hint.

"And what did you think of them?" I asked.

"I thought they were decent enough. The girl came in asking for an ice pack, though I have no idea why. She wasn't hurt. The boys came in with her. The smaller one did all the talking. The bigger one just stood by the door waiting until the other ones were finished. He didn't say anything. He only spoke when I asked him is name. "

"Oh," I said, I little disappointed that that was all she knew.

"However," she said, causing me to look up, straining forward. "He did help me transfer some supplies to my office."

"When?" I asked.

"Yesterday, I think. Yes, I believe it was yesterday. I had a shipment come in late. It was supposed to come in at 2:30, but it was an hour late and I only had ten minutes to move them from the truck to my office because I had a meeting. I was carrying a heavy box full of the new flu shots and they were very fragile. The box slipped from my hand and before it could hit the ground, he caught it. He must have been leaving. He asked if I needed any help and I told him yes."

Looking down at my empty plate, I smiled to myself.

"Chloe," Aunt Lauren said, startling me. Looking up, I asked, "What?"

"Have you decided if you are going to the dance?" she asked.

Sighing, I looked down and said, "I don't know yet."

"Well, why not?" she asked. "You're working so hard to get it together, you should enjoy yourself. And it will give you a chance to get out more. Do you have a date yet?"

"I don't even know if I'm going, so how would I have a date?" I asked.

"Nobody asked you yet?" she said, sympathetically.

"No," I said. "But that doesn't matter."

"Oh, honey, trust me, guys will be lining up to ask you out," she said.

"Aunt Lauren!" I said.

"What?" she asked.

Sighing, I leaned back in my chair and looked around me.

"So, I noticed you look different today," she said, trying to make it sound casual.

"I tried something different," I said, not meeting her eyes.

"Was it for a boy?" she asked. When I didn't answer, she got excited and said, "It is about a boy! Which one is it?"

"Nobody," I said.

"Fine, don't tell me, but if you need anything, I'm just a phone call away," she said.

"I know," I said.

"I thought I might take you to get something to wear to the dance," she said.

"Actually, I'm tired. It's been a long day and I kinda just want to go home and start on my homework," I said. I really just wanted to get home to talk to Beth.

"Alright then, I'll take you home," she said, grabbing her purse and standing up. Following suit, I followed her out to her car. The ride home was uneventful. When Aunt Lauren stopped the car, I quickly said goodbye and went inside.

When I got inside, I automatically went to my room and grabbed a warmer jacket. Zipping it up, I walked to the stairs that led up to the roof. Living in the penthouse of our apartment building meant we had access to the roof and I liked to go up there and think. However, it being winter, I haven't been up in a while. Today, though, I really needed to think.

Stepping outside, I was instantly met with a blast of cold air. Pulling my coat closer to me, I hurried to my hidden spot between two walls that was protected from the wind. Sitting down, I leaned back into the wall and closed my eyes.

I really needed to think. I needed to get my priorities in check. "Okay," I said, to myself. "I have a bet to win. Which means I have to get Derek to ask me out, but I have no idea how to do that."

"That's why you have me," a voice said.

Yelping, I looked up to see Beth watching me.

"Give me a heart attack, why don't you?" I said.

"Sorry, go back to your psycho rant," she said, folding her legs beneath her as she sat down in front of me, the wind not affecting her. Glaring at her, I tried to get back to my 'psycho rant,' but couldn't. Sighing, I opened my eyes and looked at Beth.

"Do you have any idea how mad I am at you?" I asked.

Looking offended, she said, "What did I do?"

"What did you not do? You slammed that guy's face into the desk!"

"Okay, in my defense, you already yelled at me for that," she said, holding up her hands.

"Fine, how about talking to me during class. You know that you're not supposed to do that!"

"You didn't have to answer me," she said, trying to come up with an excuse.

"You didn't have to talk to me," I answered, crossing me arms.

"But it was about a good thing!" she protested.

"No, it was about my outfit, which Derek didn't like," I said.

"Okay, so the outfit was a bust, but at least we learned something."

"And what would that be?"

"That he doesn't like that outfit."

Groaning, I dropped my head into my hands.

"Alright, so it's not much. But at least now you know what not to wear."

"It doesn't matter what I wear. He doesn't care about that. And I'm not even sure if I'm going to the dance."

"How can you not go to the dance? How can you let Jake win? If he wins, he's never going to let you live this down."

"I know, but it's not like I really like dances. I can't dance and I feel really awkward because all my friends dance and I'm left watching the stuff. Why would going with Derek make that any different?"

"Because then you can _not_ dance together."

Groaning, I reached above me and grabbed a pipe. Pulling myself up, I began walking toward the door. Beth rushed in front of me, trying to stop me.

"Okay, so it's not the best idea. But just go with it, cause what else do we have to go on?" she said.

"Just let me get inside, then you can talk," I said, walking around her.

Opening the door, I held it open as she walked inside. I know she can just walk through the door, but it was a habit. Closing the door behind me, I followed her down the stairs and into the apartment. Walking into my room, I unzipped my jacket and hung it in my closet. Turning around, I walked to my bed and sat down. Looking up at Beth, who was standing in front of me, I said, "Alright. Start talking."

"Okay, I think our biggest priority is to get Derek to ask you out," she said.

"But we have no idea how," I pointed out.

"We just have to use what we know about him," she said, "So what do we know about him?"

Opening my mouth, I started to talk, but then stopped. What did I know about Derek? I know he's new at school. Where did he move from? Why did he move? Was it a family thing? I know that he has two foster siblings. Since they were the actual siblings, that meant he was the foster kid. Why was he a foster kid? What was his life like before? He obviously had a foster parent, but how many? I know there is a father, but is there a mother?

And then another thought hit me. Why was I doing this? Besides winning the bet, what was in it for me? If I win, I go to the dance with Derek. But what happens after? Would it just be a one-time thing? Or would it go farther? Would he want to make it more? Would I? I mean, do I even like him like that? I like him, sure. He seems nice. A little antisocial, sure, but nice. But is there anything more? I haven't known him that long.

A hand waved in front of my face. "Hello? Earth to Chloe."

Looking up, Beth was giving me a weird look.

"What?" I asked.

"You zoned out," she said.

"Oh, sorry. I was thinking," I told her.

"What are we going to do?" she asked.

"I think I'm going to stop for a few days and just watch," I said.

"Watch what?" she asked.

"Just watch how it works out," I said.

"But the dance is in a week!"

Looking up at her expression, I said, "This is really important for you, isn't it?"

"Well yeah, if you want to win the bet –"

"No, I don't just mean for the bet. I mean this, getting Derek to ask me out, is really important to _you,_ personally."

Looking down at her feet, she said quietly, "Well, I'm dead. I can't do anything anymore. I can't affect the world by myself. I can move things, yeah, but if anybody saw me do that, they wouldn't see me, just the thing moving by itself and that would be bad. But I can help you. I know I can. If I can help you to get Derek to ask you out, then I did something. I changed something. I left a mark."

Looking at her thoughtfully, I said, "Alright, you can continue observing, but I'm going to take a break."

Smiling, she said, "Deal."


	5. And I Walked

**Okay everyone, as of now, I have 225 reviews! I love you guys! And as a reward, I bring you another chapter. If I can get up to 240 reviews, I will update. If not, you guys have to wait until next Saturday. And I'm not giving a new riddle this chapter because it hasn't even been 24 hours and I want to give everybody a chance to answer it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**This chapter is in Beth's point of view, so I hope you like it. Her thoughts are in italics.**

8:15. _Great, just seven hours until school gets out. What am I gonna do until then? _As I walked down the empty halls, I looked into the windows of the classrooms and laughed as I saw kids already asleep. There are a lot of things that I missed about life, but school was not one of them. Sure, I could see all my friends, but I didn't understand anything the teachers were talking about. Oh well, I'm done learning.

One year. One year dead. One year forgotten. I remember the accident. Everything about it. Because I never actually crossed over to the ghost side of existence, I never got the free cleansing package that everybody else got when they passed over. I still remember everything from the screeching of the brakes to my seat belt cutting into my chest, the force of the stop cracking my rib and puncturing my lung. I never told Chloe about it. I didn't want to see the look on her face as she remembered her mother's accident. The only thing she knew is that I died in a car accident and that seems to be enough for her.

As I walked, I stopped outside a particular classroom and stepped through the door. Cloaking myself so she wouldn't see me, I walked up behind Chloe and looked over her shoulder. Her pencil hovering over the paper as she waited to write down the next piece of history the teacher said. I think the teachers name is Mrs. Washington. _Ha. That's fitting in an American History class. I wonder if her first name's Martha. _Looking to the person next to Chloe, I saw it was her friend Rae. Looking at her paper, I wasn't surprised to find it blank. It's a little hard to write notes when your fingers are glued to your phone. Shaking my head, I walked out of the room and onto the next one.

My next stop was biology. In the middle seat, Maggie was looking as uncomfortable as possible. Her partner was trying to explain something to her. I assumed it was the project that Chloe was doing in biology, so I walked over to see what Maggie's topic was. Taking one look at it, I could understand why she was so uncomfortable. Her _male_ partner was trying to explain to her the reproduction system of a woman. _That's gotta suck._ _Poor girl. That's gotta be embarrassing. _Leaving the room, I walked to the stairs and went up, stopping outside the nearest classroom.

The room was filled with computers. _Yuck_. Looking around, I could see why it was such a popular class. The room was split into two sides. The guys on one side, their screens filled with the flashing lights of video games. The girls on the other side, talking to each other on some site. (AN: My mind is drawing a blank, sorry.) The only computer in the entire room that was actually being used for something productive was occupied by a girl with short, black hair. Walking over to her so I could see her face, I discovered she was the girl by Chloe's locker. _What's her name? She's Derek's foster sister, so I should remember this. Tori! That's it._ Looking at her face, she was concentrating on her work. Following her eyes, all I saw was a bunch of numbers. _And I thought math made no sense_. _I wonder who the teacher is. I should find out and warn Chloe not to take the class. Something tells me she would get it less than me._ Looking at Tori's screen, I smiled. In the top corner was clearly typed Mr. Merrimam. _Well that was easy. _Getting all I could from that, I walked back into the hall, looking for my next victim.

Walking into the next room, I searched for someone I know. Liz was seated in the back seat, far from the teacher's ears. The reason for that being completely obvious as I watched a boy whisper in her ear, her giggling in response. _That must be Brady. Chloe was talking about him at lunch yesterday. I guess he's feeling better. _Looking up at the teacher writing on the bored about the American dream, I realized that Liz could have been in the front row and the teacher wouldn't have noticed her talking to Brady. She looked so old, I was afraid she would tap her hip on her desk and it would shatter. There was no way she could hear Brady whispering. She looked familiar. _Didn't Chloe have her last year for honors English? What's her name? Oh right, Mrs. Hart._ Feeling bored of English, I left.

_What's next?_ As I stopped to peek into a classroom, my smile grew. Sitting next to the window were three boys. All looking bored, but it was the middle one that caught my attention. Sitting between Jake and Simon was the one and only Derek. This was an opportunity that I wasn't going to miss. Walking over to them, I eavesdropped into their conversation.

"Well practice is at 3:30 every day but Friday," Jake was telling Simon. _Practice? That usually meant a sport. Which sport was Jake in? Oh yeah, basketball._

"Cool, what time does it end?" Simon asked.

"Around 5, depending on what we're doing," Jake responded.

"Well, that works out great. That leaves Fridays open for…other things," Simon said, smiling. Jake laughed at that.

"Speaking of Fridays," Jake said, "the dance is next Friday. You taking anyone?"

"I'm taking somebody, I just don't know who yet. I got a lot of potential dates; I just don't know who to ask yet. I don't really know any of them that well yet. But I do have my eye on one in particular. I didn't catch her name yet because she wasn't one of the ones thrusting themselves at me, but I've got Art with her, so maybe I can get her name then. How about you?"

"Well, I'm thinking about taking your sister," Jake said.

From between them, Derek snorted. "There is something wrong with your brain."

"Probably," Jake said, smiling.

"What sane person would ever take Tori anywhere?" Derek asked.

"I can think of a few places," Simon said smiling. "Like how about Alcatraz Prison?"

"Touché," Derek said, a small smile forming on his lips.

"Well, I have my reasons," Jake said.

"What reasons would justify asking Tori to the dance?" Simon asked.

"Just reasons," he answered.

"Well, as long as you realize that you're crazy," Simon said, the bell ringing.

"Oh, my sister reminds me of that every day," Jake said, grabbing his stuff.

As Derek led them out of the government room, Simon said as they split, "And I'll reserve you a room at the insane asylum."

"As long as I get one of those rooms with the pillows," Jake called over the roar of the full halls.

Laughing, I followed Simon to his locker, where he squeezed through the hoard of girls and grabbed his stuff. All under thirty seconds. _Well I'm impressed. _

As he walked into his next room, I looked around. _This looks familiar. Wasn't I here yesterday? _As the teacher walked in, I remembered. _ Oh yeah, this is the English room and that's the lady who yelled at Derek and Chloe yesterday. I probably shouldn't remind Chloe of that. _As Simon sat down, I left. I would probably hear the same lecture later, so why hear it now? _Hmm… who to stalk? I'll save Chloe for last. Then I can follow her to class after. I guess I could I try Rae. _

Searching the classrooms, I found her in biology. She was sitting next to Liz talking about, what else, the dance.

"Well, Brady is finally back, so I have my date," Liz said, smiling.

"Well, I still need to exact revenge on Peter for saying no, but I'm thinking of asking Austin." Rae said.

"Austin? Royce Banks' younger brother?" Liz asked.

"Well, there is no way I'm going to ask Royce. He's one of the worst juniors in the school. And Austin is a sophomore, so it works out." Rae answered.

_Well, this is fun. Not. _ Walking out of the room, I decided to search for Jake next. I could use a laugh. Walking back downstairs, I walked into the Spanish room to see Jake sitting next to Tori, trying to get her attention. The girl in question was glaring daggers at the back of the guy in front of hers head, trying to ignore Jake, but obviously failing to do so.

"What do you have against me?" Jake asked.

"How about because you're arrogant?" she said, finally turning to look at him.

"How am I arrogant?" he asked.

"You think that you can just walk up to me and I'll swoon at your feet and beg you to take me to the dance," she said, angrily.

"If I thought you would swoon, I wouldn't ask you out," he responded.

Her face heated in anger, "Because that makes me a challenge. Because me swooning would be too easy and then the _chase _would lose its thrill."

"No," he said.

"Then what?" she snapped.

"If you swoon, then you're just another sheep in the flock, swooning because everybody else is doing it. If I have to make an effort to get you to say yes, then it's more meaningful," he said, calmly.

Her face softened a little, but she turned her head before he noticed. "Well, the answer's still no."

"I can work with that," he said, a small smile curving up the corner of his mouth.

Leaving them behind, I decided to go look for Mr. Tall, dark, and handsome. Walking into his classroom, I got an instant headache. College algebra with trigonometry. (AN: I know he was taking this in the book when he was in tenth grade, but I couldn't think of any other advanced math class.) _And I thought watching Chloe to her math homework was nauseating. Geez, the guy must be some kind of math genius. I bet he could calculate pi if he really wanted to. The only thing you can do with advanced math is tutor somebody or something._ Then the thought hit me. Hitting myself in the forehead, I walked out of the room to wait for Chloe's class to get done. _What was I, an idiot? How many times have I told Chloe to get a tutor and the guy I'm trying to get her with just happens to be a math genius? There must be a God. He's smiling down on me. I wonder if karma works in the afterlife. Cause, if so, I definitely did something great when I was alive. _

Walking into the English class, I decided to wait for Chloe in her next class. There was no way I was missing anything between Derek and Chloe. Looking at the clock, I smiled. Just five more minutes of class left. That gave me at least eight minutes to make a plan to get Derek to tutor Chloe. _Okay, so I need a plan. I need to make Derek think it was his idea so that it doesn't seem that Chloe is trying too hard to get his attention. Cause if I make a scene, Chloe will banish me. Not that she knows how. I do, but there is no way in hell that I'm telling her that or she might just use it. More importantly, she might use it on me._

Looking up, I realized that, while lost in my thoughts, I had missed the bell ringing and kids starting to come into the room. _Who will come in first, Derek or Chloe?_ My question was soon answered when Chloe walked into the room, looking a little defeated from geometry. I stiffened when she looked up, but she just walked to her desk and sat down. I sighed, glad she didn't see me. If I was going to get her a tutor, it was best if she didn't know I was the one doing it. I watched her get out her stuff and neatly organizing it on her desk. Reaching down, she set her bag on the floor. Seeing it, I smiled. Her math folder was sticking out. I could easily take it out of her bag and drop is on the ground without anybody seeing me doing to. Looking up at the ceiling, I mouthed a thank you. This was going to be easier than I thought.

A few minutes later, Derek walked in, automatically walking to his seat and sitting down. Setting his bag next to Chloe's, he took out his stuff and then sat waiting for class to start. I saw him look at her out of corner of his eye. As he looked back to the front, I could see him stifling a laugh. Chloe noticed.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Huh?" he asked, looking at her.

"You laughed," she said.

"It was nothing," he said.

"Well, it had to be something. You laughed didn't you. People don't just laugh at nothing. Something has to set off the laughter," she said.

A small smile formed on his lips. Her face flushed a deep red. "Sorry, I was babbling."

"I was laughing at your outfit," he said.

A confused look passed over her face. Looking at what she was wearing, I laughed. She had on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.

"Does it look bad?" she asked, a little self-conscious.

"No," he said. "It's just that it's what I told you to wear yesterday."

"Oh," she said, trying to think of an excuse, she said, "I overslept this morning. I didn't have time to find anything better."

Nodding, he looked back to the front. I saw her breathe a sigh of relief as she slumped in her chair. The teacher walked in and she automatically straightened again.

"Alright, class," the teacher started, "I was going to teach you about the role that classical literature has in society, but I left my lesson plans at home. So everybody spend the hour working on other work or reading your classic."

Half the class cheered at the easy day and the other half groaned at the boredom. Personally, I couldn't understand how anybody would hate an easy day. The teacher just basically told everybody that they had to do nothing. _Morons._

Looking at Chloe, I saw her take out Pride and Prejudice and start to take notes for her paper. I didn't understand why she wasted paper and didn't just write in the book, but when I told her so, she got all mad and defensive about not writing in books, so now I know to leave _her _books alone. Looking at Derek, I saw he was doing the same thing, minus the note-taking. Peeking around his shoulder, I looked to see walk classic he had chosen. White Fang. _A story about a wolf who was raised cruelly and eventually found happiness. I haven't read it. I got that from spark notes because I was supposed to read it for class. And they expected me to read it? They obviously didn't know me that well. _

As I sat watching them read, I grew bored very fast. _There has to be some way to get her folder out of her bag so that they notice but without causing a big scene. _Just as I thought it, Chloe's foot came back and kicked her bag. Smiling, I carefully pulled it out, pulling out her review packet a little, and dropped it lightly on the floor. _Somebody up there likes me. _Chloe didn't notice, but Derek looked down and saw the folder lying on the floor. Reaching down, he picked it up and held it out for her.

Looking down at the folder in his hand, she grabbed it and said, "Thanks. It must have fallen out when I kicked my bag by accident."

Seeing her packet, a slight frown formed on his lips. "Having trouble with math?"

"Huh?" she said. He gestured to her packet sticking out. "O-oh, uh n-no. That's just a really hard problem, that's all."

"You sure?" he asked. "If you need a second opinion, I've got time."

"Oh, well, I wouldn't want to take up your reading time," she protested.

"I can read any time," he said.

Thinking it over for a second, she said, "Well, okay, I guess I could use the help."

Reaching for the packet, Derek grabbed his pencil and started explaining to her the first problem. When he was finished, she smiled broadly, finally understanding math. While she was looking at the problem, he was looking at her, a small smile forming at the corner of his mouth as she smiled at the paper. Smiling at my geniusness, I watched them for the rest of the hour. Derek would explain a problem and she would smile when she understood how to do it. When the bell rang, they gathered their stuff and went their separate ways at the door.

As I walked into the lunchroom to wait for Chloe, I looked around for one of the three siblings. Seeing Simon sitting in the corner of the room surrounded by the basketball team, I looked next to him, expecting to see Derek. However, the seat was occupied by another player. My eyebrows knit together in confusion as I searched the crowded room for him. Nothing. _That's strange._ At the other end of the room was Tori, who was surrounded by cheerleaders and preps. Sitting next to her was Amber, who seemed to be laughing at something that Tori had said. But none of those people around her was Derek. _That's stranger._

Walking out the library, I passed Chloe, who was on her way into the lunchroom. She was walking with Maggie and Jake. The latter had his arm slung across Chloe's shoulders and was laughing. When they got into the room, his arm came off and he made his way over to the table Simon was sitting at. Chloe and Maggie walked over to Rae and Liz. Nodding to myself that Chloe was where she was supposed to be, I continued down the hall in search of Derek.

As I passed the gym, I looked it, seeing if he was in there. He wasn't. However, somebody was. There were a small group of guys in there sitting on the bleachers. Walking in, I decided to see who they were. The group consisted of four boys. They all looked like upperclassmen, except for one, which I recognized as Austin Banks who was in Chloe's French class. The others, though I didn't recognize. The one sitting next to Austin looked like him, but older. I guessed his brother, which meant he was Royce, a junior. The other two looked like they were held back a year… or two. They had to be seniors. The first one was almost six foot tall with short almost black hair. He looked mean, but not as mean as the last one. He was at least six feet tall with long, blond hair and his face was covered in bruises. I had no idea who he was, but I knew he wasn't someone to take lightly. Austin looked like he didn't belong there. He smiled when the others told a joke and he nodded when everybody else nodded, but he looked like he was just there to please his brother. As I turned to go, Austin swung his head toward me and I froze. _He can't see me, can he? _As I stood there, he looked to the others then back to me. When his eyes met mine, I knew something was wrong. He _could _see me. When Royce elbowed him, he looked back at them and let me escape without him seeing which direction I went.

Stepping into the hall, I stopped as soon as I was out of sight. _He saw me. That meant he had to be a necromancer like Chloe. Oh, this was bad. I had to be careful when walking around so that he didn't see me again. _I started walking down the hall like I was before. As I walked past classrooms, I peaked in, but no luck. He was nowhere to be found. Turning around, I decided I would go back to Chloe and wait until her next class.

As I walked past the office, I stopped. Walking in, I saw a lot of boxes. Like moving boxes. _Did someone get fired?_ Walking up to the principal Foraz's office, I peeked in. It was empty of his things. All that was left was an empty bookcase and a bare desk. _Guess somebody did get fired._ Looking into the vice principal's office, I saw that was empty too. _What's going on? _

As I walked out into the main office, it was empty of students. The only one there was an older woman I had never seen before standing behind the secretary's desk. _Guess everybody got fired today._ As I walked past her, I heard somebody say, "Shouldn't you be at lunch?"

Stopping, I turned to the woman, who was looking right at me.

"Are you talking to me?" I asked, confused.

"Well, you're the only one here, so I would assume so," she said, crossing her arms.

Thinking up a lie, I said, "I had to use the phone."

"Well, you've used it, so leave," she said.

Quickly doing as she said, I almost ran out into the hall. _What is going on? Can everybody see me? _Looking for somebody, I saw a random kid walking down the hall. Running at him, I went through him. Looking back at him, he didn't notice anything, just kept walking down the hall. I sighed in relief. _Good, not everybody can see me._ Straightening up, I turned toward the cafeteria to find Chloe. As I walked in, the bell rang and everybody practically ran out, going right through me. Watching for Chloe, I saw her walking with Maggie back to her locker, laughing at something Maggie had said. Following her, I waited for her to get her books. Just as she closed her locker, Tori walked up behind her. Not seeing her, Chloe turned around. Coming face to face with her, she jumped back.

"Geez, I wasn't going to hit you," Tori said, going around Chloe and to her locker.

"Sorry, I didn't see you," Chloe said, starting to walk around her.

"Hold on," Tori said, "I want to talk to you."

Stopping, Chloe's eyebrows scrunched together in confusing. "Okay?"

Shutting her locker, Tori starting walking toward the biology room, with Chloe at her heels.

"I wanted to talk about that guy," Tori said.

"What guy?" Chloe asked. When Tori gave her a look that said, are you stupid, her face turned red and she said, "Oh, Jake. What about him?"

"What's he in to?" Tori asked.

"Um… well, he's on the basketball team," Chloe said.

Tori grimaced. "Simon joined the team yesterday. What else?"

"He's in a band?" Chloe offered.

Stopping, Tori turned to face her. "A band?"

"Yeah. He's the guitarist. He can sing too, but the band has a singer, so he just plays the guitar. He's the entertainment for the dance next Friday," Chloe said.

Tori thought for a moment, then nodded and continued back to the room.

"Did you want to know anything else?" Chloe asked.

"No, that should do," Tori said as they entered the room.

I walked into the room and watched Chloe take her seat next to Simon, who smiled when he saw her. Walking behind them, I hopped up on the table behind them so I could observe.

"I checked out some books from the library so that we can do some research," Simon said, reaching into his bag and pulling out some books.

"The library had books on decomposing corpses?" Chloe said, smiling.

"Well, the library had one. The rest came from home," he said, setting the books down.

"You have books on corpses?" she said. "I'm kinda afraid to ask what you do in your free time."

Smiling, he said, "The books aren't mine. They're Derek's."

"Now I'm even more afraid," she said, jokingly.

"Well, you should be. Don't tell anyone, but at night, we sneak down to the cemetery and steal corpses," he said, trying to keep his face straight.

"What do you do with the corpses when you get them?" she asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he said, waggling his eyebrows. _Eww. _

Laughing, she said, "Eww! Don't tell me you're a necro." _Uh oh._

All of a sudden, his face turned serious. "A necro?"

Seeing her mistake, Chloe lied, "You know, necrophilia." _Nice save._

Something flashed across his face, before it was replaced with a forced smile. "Right." _What's with him?_

Trying to break the awkwardness that followed, Chloe said, "So, why don't we start researching?"

"Alright," Simon said, handing her a book. Taking it, Chloe automatically starting looking through it. They spent the rest of the hour reading through them. Getting up, I walked to Simon's side and looked at the books' titles. Most of them had normal titles, but one, however, stood out. _Nekromantia? As in necromancer? Who is this guy? _When Simon took the book on top of it off, he glanced down to see what was under it. Seeing the book, he quickly picked it up and shoved it in his bag. Looking over at Chloe to see if she saw, he sighed in relief when he saw that she didn't. _Who is he?_

When the bell rang, Chloe handed back the book she was reading and gathered up her stuff, stuffing it in her bag. Zipping it up, she stood up, said goodbye, and walked out, heading towards French. Following her into the room, I walked to her seat and stood behind it, watching as she sat down and took out her stuff. Next came in Derek. When he got to his seat, he sat and looked out the window, not looking at Chloe, who was looking at him out of the corner of her eye. Smiling at her innocence, I sat down on the desk behind me. When the rest of the class was in, the teacher started class. Ignoring her, I looked around the room at the students. Most of the class was either falling asleep or passing notes. When I looked at the back, my eyes met with a pair of brown eyes. Austin Banks was staring directly at me. _Crap. _

Looking at Chloe, I tried to ignore him. When I glanced back at, I saw that he was still staring at me. Glaring at him, I turned away. When I looked a third time, he looked from me to Chloe, then something dawned in his eyes. _Crap. Not only can he see me, but I basically just told him about Chloe. This isn't going to end well. _

When the bell rang, I walked out of the room. I didn't bother following Chloe to her theatre class. I wouldn't gain anything there. Instead, I walked to the gym. Stepping inside, I saw it was empty. There were no gym classes last hour. Walking in, I looked around, making sure nobody was around. Seeing that I was alone, I walked over to the ball cart and picked up a basketball. Letting it drop, it hit the floor and bounced back up. Even though I was a ghost, if I concentrated enough, I could move things, even touch them occasionally. But touching it took a lot of concentration. When the ball bounced up, I used my mind to move it back down. After a while of dribbling the ball, I walked it over to the hoop and aimed. Throwing it, the ball made it through the hoop without touching the rim. Behind me, I heard clapping. Spinning around, I saw Austin standing behind me.

"Nice shot," he said. "I've been on the team for three years and I still can't make it through without touching the rim."

When I took a step back to leave, his smile fell and he took a step forward. Holding out his hand, he said, "Don't go. I'm not going to banish you or anything."

Hesitating, I said, "What do you want?"

"To talk," he said.

"Why do you want to talk to me?" I asked.

"Who else do I have to talk to?" he said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Your brother? Those other guys?" I said.

"Royce is in class. And Liam and Ramon left already," he said.

"What about your other friends? Are they in class too?" I asked, continuing to back up.

He looked confused. "What friends?"

Stopping, I looked at him. His confusion seemed genuine. _Does he really not have any friends? _

"Why do you hang out with your brother and his friends?" I asked, wanting a little information on the tall, blond one.

"Royce makes me," he said. "He doesn't want me getting any … ideas."

"So, you know what you are?" I asked.

"A necromancer? Yeah, I know," he said. "I've always known."

"Is Royce one?" I asked.

"No, that's not what he is," he said.

"Then what is he?" I asked.

Eyes widening, he said, "Shit! I didn't mean to say that."

I laughed at his reaction. Seeing me laughing, he calmed down a little. Smiling weakly, he looked down at his feet. From this angle, he looked kind of cute. His dark brown hair falling over his eyes. The way his mouth curved up a bit from the smile. _Damn. I miss being alive. Falling for some kid is not acceptable. _

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked.

Looking back up, he said, "I don't know. I just wanted to talk."

Thinking for a second, I figured I could get some information from him. "What do you know about the principal leaving?"

"Oh that?" he said, "They're bringing in new people. They want to modernize or something."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"I'm an office aide first hour," he said.

Nodding, I said, "Who's the new principal?"

"Um, the new principal's name is Marcel Davidoff, the vice principal is Diane Enright, and the new secretary is Margaret something," he said. _Enright? That sounds familiar._

Opening my mouth to talk, I was interrupted by shouting. Looking at the door, I saw a group of boys running into the gym. Among them were Simon and Jake.

"Hey, Austin," Jake called, "You're early."

"Uh, yeah," he said. Looking back at me, he looked like he wanted to say something. Nodding toward the locker room, I said, "You might want to go before they think you're crazy."

Nodding, he offered me a smile and ran off with the others. Watching him go, I thought about the way his brown eyes sparkled when he smiled. _Damn. _


	6. What Are You Doing Home?

**Okay everyone, I'm really sorry for the wait. My sister's laptop broke and she had to take it in, so now she's hijacked mine. I finally got some time to write this chapter. I now have 275 reviews! I honestly love you guys! You definitely make my day. Anyway, a few of you have told me that you want other point of views, like Derek's, so this one was going to be in Derek's POV, but then many more people wanted Chloe to talk to Beth about what Beth discovered, so those of you who want Derek's POV will have to wait until the next chapter, sorry. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Points so Far:**

**Team-EricSookie = 20**

**Fanstorylover91 = 10**

**Yep Yep Yep = 20**

**Earlie-Birdie-Girlie = 20**

**Your = 20**

**Overcome = 20**

**Squeeker1995 = 10**

**The answer to the last riddle was a feather**

_What has cities with no houses, rivers without water, and forests without trees?_

When I walked through the door of my apartment, I was instantly bombarded with Beth's eagerness. Standing with her face an inch from mine, she started talking too fast for me to understand.

"Beth!" I shouted.

She stopped and said, "What?"

"Slow down," I said, smiling.

"Well, if you'd hurry up, I wouldn't have to talk so fast," she said, motioning me forward.

Rolling my eyes, I followed her into my room, where she sat cross-legged on my bed, practically bouncing. Ignoring her for a second, I walked over to my desk and unloaded my homework, grimacing when I saw how much I had. At least it was Friday and I had the whole weekend to do it. Turning back around, I faced Beth.

"Alright, so what are you so excited about?" I asked, sitting down in my desk chair.

Taking an overdramatic deep breath, Beth opened her mouth and let the words spill out. "Okay, so I followed you around today, like I said I would. I also followed around some of your friends cause watching you all day gets kinda boring. Anyway, I started with you in history, but I got bored and went to see Maggie in biology. I felt _really _bad for her," she said, her face showing her sympathy.

"Why?" I asked, confused. Maggie had told me that she had an easy topic.

"Well, you know how you're doing decomposition because that Simon kid didn't want to do reproduction? Well, guess who got that topic and was having it explained by a guy?" she said.

"Oh, poor Maggie," I said. If I had gone with that topic, at least I would have had fun with it because something tells me that I wouldn't have had a serious moment with Simon as my partner. Maggie had a guy named Roger as hers and I don't think he ever had fun.

"What did you do after?" I asked, mildly curious.

"Okay, so then I wondered into a random classroom, which by the way, I don't recommend the class cause its nothing but confusing numbers and symbols and computers and –"

"Beth!" I cut her off.

"Sorry," she said, "Anyway, in the class was the girl whose locker is next to yours. What's her name?"

"Tori," I said.

"Right, so turns out, she's smarter than she looks, not that she doesn't look smart, but whatever. Next I found Liz, who was in talking to a guy, who I assumed was Brady, cause they looked kind of chummy."

"Yeah, they've been dating for a few weeks, though they spent the entire year before flirting," I explained.

"You can tell," she said, "Anyway, it wasn't until the next classroom that I found my mark. Turns out that Jake has a class with Simon and Derek."

I hate to admit it, but when she mentioned Derek's name, I may have leaned forward in my chair a bit.

"What were they talking about?" I asked, trying not to sound too interested.

"Basketball," she said. "Jake was talking to Simon about practice times and they started talking about the dance. Jake asked if Simon was taking somebody and he said that he was but he didn't know who. Though he did say that he had somebody he was considering."

"Who?" I asked.

"He didn't know her name, but he said he had art with her," Beth said.

I thought for a second of who I knew that had art. Then I remembered something Maggie had said to me. "Maggie has art with him last hour. She told me so because she was really excited that she had a class with him."

"Well, hopefully that's who he meant because most of the girls at that school are bimbos," Beth said.

"Hey," I said, "I'm at that school."

"I said most, not all," she said, smiling.

Rolling my eyes, I said, "What else did they say?"

"Okay, so then Jake told Simon that he was thinking about taking Tori," she said.

My face fell. "He didn't say why, did he?"

"No, he just said that he had his reasons."

"Thank God," I said, releasing the breath that I had been holding.

"Anyway, when he said it, Derek told him that there was something wrong with his brain. It was kinda funny. So after that, I followed Simon to English, but I didn't stay. Instead I headed back to the biology room and Liz and Rae were talking about the dance again. Do they ever talk about anything else? Apparently, Rae still doesn't have a date, but she's thinking about talking Austin Banks."

When she said this, a shadow passed over her face. What's wrong with her, I thought.

"I found Jake and Tori in Spanish and she really doesn't like him, so I think you have a really good chance at winning." When she said this, she held up her thumbs encouragingly.

"And after that?" I said, trying not to encourage her.

"Well your boyfriend is a math genius," she said.

"He is not m –"

Cutting me off, she said, "And you, my friend, are horrible at taking hints! He offered to help you with math and you tried to blow him off! What is wrong with you?"

"I was not blowing him off," I argued.

"The guy asks you if you want any help, you say yes!" she said

"Out of all my traits," I said, "I don't want him to know how hopeless I am in math."

"Or dating," she said.

Giving her a look, she continued. "You also need to work on your excuses by the way."

"What excuses?" I asked.

"I woke up late?" she said, raising her eyebrow.

Looking down at my outfit, I looked back up. "Well I did wake up late."

"Yeah, by five minutes," she said, crossing her arms and smirking.

"It was a crucial five minutes," I said.

"Yes, very crucial," she said, sarcastically.

Glaring at her, I stood up and started walking toward the door. As soon as my hand touched the knob, Beth rushed in front of me and tried to stop me.

"Hold on," she said.

"I'm hungry," I said.

"Oh," she said. "Okay, you can go."

"Thanks for the permission," I said, twisting the knob and pushing my door open. Walking out of my room, I made my way to the kitchen, with Beth following at my heels. Stepping through the doorway, I stopped dead in my tracks. My dad was sitting at the counter drinking a cup of coffee and working on some paper.

"Hey," I said.

Looking up, he smiled and said, "Hi."

"What are you doing home?" I asked. "You're not supposed to be home for another two weeks."

"Well, the business deal with China was completed ahead of schedule and I decided to take a few weeks off from work," he explained.

"Oh," I said. Trying to think of something to say, I said, "Was there was a reason that you took the time off?"

"Well, I have until a week after New Years, so I thought I'd spend some time with you," he said, setting down his coffee cup.

My face must have shown my surprise because he started laughing. "I know we haven't been especially close and I apologize for that. I have barely had a spare moment since my business started escalating. But now I have an opportunity to take some time off and I decided I would take it."

"Ok," I said. "Um…"

"You can go back to what you were doing," he said.

Smiling, I said, "Thank you."

Walking around him, I went to the fridge. I opened it and leaned down to look at the top shelf. Beth walked up next to me and leaned into my ear.

"Go with the cookies," she said quietly. "Choose cookies."

Looking up at the counter next to me, I saw a bag of Oreos. I rolled my eyes and grabbed them. Walking back to my room, I waited until Beth walked past me and then shut the door. As Beth sat on the edge of my bed, I walked past her to my stereo. I turned it on almost all the way and walked to the bed. When Beth gave me a funny look, I said, "I don't want Dad to hear me talking to myself."

"Good idea," she said.

When I had gotten comfortable, I grabbed the cookies and motioned for Beth to continue her day's events.

"Okay, where was I? Oh yeah, well I went to the lunchroom before you to see if I could find Derek. However, seeing how he wasn't in there, I had to look around the school."

"Did you find him?" I asked.

"No, but I did find something else. The principal and vice principal got sacked. And there's a new secretary too," she said.

"Why did they fire them?" I asked, sitting up.

"They wanted to modernize of something. But that's not the big thing. The secretary isn't human," she said,

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"She's a necromancer, like you," Beth said.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"When I tried walking out of the office, she asked me what I was doing there. She had no idea that I was a ghost," she said.

"Well, that can't be that bad," I said. "I mean, I'm not the only necromancer in the world, and it _is_ possible for another necromancer to get a job at the school."

When Beth got a weird look on her face, I asked, "What?"

"I met another necromancer today," she said.

"The secretary," I said.

"No, not the secretary. A boy," she said.

"Do I know him?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said.

I waited a minute to see if she was going to tell me, and when she didn't, I asked, "Well, who is it?"

"Austin Banks," she said.

"Austin Banks is a necromancer?" I asked, this time bolting up.

"Yeah. I talked to him for a little while," she said.

"What did you talk about?" I asked, a little worried.

"Pretty much nothing," she said. "He told me about the people being sacked. And they already have new people to replace them."

"Really?"I asked. "That seems a little quick."

"I guess," she said.

"What else did you do?" I asked.

"Umm…" she said, "Oh! I know! About that Simon kid. There's something about him."

"What do you mean," I asked. "He seems fine."

"When you were talking before you started reading and then you asked him if he was a necro, nice save by the way with the necrophilia, and then he got that look on his face," she said.

"I'm sure he was just wierded out," I said.

"But when you guys started reading, he had this book that he hid in his bag," she said.

"What book?"

"Nekromantia."

"As in necromancers?" I asked.

"You know as much as me," she said.

"Anything else?" I asked.

"I think that's it," she said.

"Alright then," I said. "There's something off about the school."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, having one or two necromancers in the same place is normal, but three? And we're not the only different ones. I mean, with me, Maggie, Jake, the secretary and Austin, that's at least five. Who's to say that there isn't more? And Maggie and Jake aren't even necros. They're shamans."

"I think I need to do a little investigating at the school," Beth said.

"Alright, good," I said.

"And because we have a lot to think about, I won't bother you with Derek until at least Sunday," Beth said, smiling.

I opened my mouth to argue when someone knocked on my door. Getting up, I walked over and opened it. My dad was standing on the other side.

"I thought we might go out to eat," he said.

"Alright," I said. I needed a break from all the information I had got. Turning around, I walked to my desk and grabbed a jacket. I gave Beth a look that said stay, and followed Dad out the door.


	7. You Going To The Dance?

**Okay everyone, I'm really sorry for the wait. I know that I'm a horrible person. **

**I would just like to clear something up. I know that in The Darkest Powers series, there is limited information on werewolves, but there is more in the Women of the Otherworld series. According to the WO series, there are two werewolf packs. One is in Russia, one is in New York. The one in New York consists of about 10 or so werewolves. The rest of the werewolves in America are called mutts and live alone. Most of the werewolves are mutts. This doesn't mean that I'm adding other werewolves besides Derek, just that if I do, they won't be major characters like Chloe and Derek.**

**I'm not including the Points in this chapter because I don't feel like writing all the names. I will however, give a new riddle.**

**The answer to the last one was a map!**

_**What is brought to the table and cut, but never eaten?**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Derek's POV **

I looked down at my watch and I sighed in frustration. It was 7:45 and school started in half an hour. It took fifteen minutes to get there and that only left me fifteen minutes to go to my locker and get to class. We usually left twenty minutes earlier.

"Will you two get down here!" I shouted up at Tori and Simon. Today was the day they both decided to sleep in and take forever getting ready. Tori took a long time as it was, but all Simon did was pull on clean clothes so what the hell was taking him so long.

"If you guys don't come down in the next five minutes, I'm leaving without you!" I yelled. I hated driving them to school. They always fought over the front seat. Tori usually won by cheating. She'd hit Simon with a binding spell and get in, locking the door behind her. One time she caught him in a binding spell when he was mid jump down the steps. Dad wasn't too happy because Simon ended up with a sprained ankle. Tori and I didn't care. We were too busy laughing. That was the only time we ever agreed on anything.

I looked at my watch again and groaned. There was no way we were going to make it to school on time at this pace.

"Still here?" a voice asked. I turned around and saw Dad walking out of the kitchen.

"Well, if Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum would hurry up, I _could _leave," I growled, pissed that I had to wait for them.

He laughed and said, "When's the last time you changed?"

"Last Thursday," I responded.

"Well, you might want to change again soon. You don't want that anger to result in an unwanted change," he said.

"I know," I said. "I'll change again Friday night."

"Isn't there a dance on Friday?" he asked, leaning against the wall across from me.

"How did you hear about that?" I asked.

"Tori and Simon," he said. "They've been scheming something."

"Scheming what?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know," he said, shrugging. "I walked passed Simon's room on Saturday and I heard voices. I listened and I could hear Simon and Tori talking about something and I heard 'dance' and 'Friday'. And there is no reason for them to even talk to each other, so if they're hiding themselves in Simon's room, they're scheming something."

"Eavesdropping, Dad?" I asked, a smile growing on my face.

"Well, I'm old. It's either that or work," he said, smiling back.

"And after all that eavesdropping, you still don't know what their planning?" I asked.

"I said I eavesdropped. I never said I was good at it," he said.

I opened my mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Simon's banging feet on the stairs. At the last step, he grabbed the railing and swung himself down. As he landed, his backpack slid off his shoulder and landed at my feet.

"Nice one, klutz," Tori said, standing at the top of the stairs.

"You moved it," he said.

"Prove it," she said, walking down the stairs.

"It was on my shoulder. I didn't land hard enough for it to go that far," he argued.

"You sure you're not just unwilling to admit that you're a klutz?" she said, smirking.

As he opened his mouth to speak, I leaned down and picked up his backpack. Before he could say anything, I cleared my throat. He turned around and looked at me. I opened the front door and dangled the bag from my fingertips.

"Hey Simon. Fetch." With that, I gently threw the bag out the door into a pile of snow.

"Hey!" he yelled. He grabbed his coat and ran out the door, with Tori laughing as she followed him. I turned back to Dad and he raised an eyebrow.

"It got them out," I said.

He shook his head and smiled.

"And as for the scheming," I said, "I'll figure it out."

Walking into school, I glanced down at my watch. 8:10. Having managed to hit every red light here, I only had five minutes, which was just enough time to rush to government. Lucky for me, I had homework on the weekend so I had my stuff with me. I walked quickly while trying to avoid bumping in to anybody. I didn't really care about being rude. I've only been here a week and I already hate half the school. I just didn't want to accidently push someone over and start a scene. I didn't need any more scenes.

As I walked into the government room, Mr. Carnahan was just starting class. I walked quickly to my seat with Simon at my heels. Jake was already there and he nodded at us as we sat down.

"Late start?" he said quietly.

"Don't look at me," I said.

He glanced over at Simon, who shrugged. Laughing quietly, he turned his attention back to Mr. Carnahan. I followed suit and looked forward. He was discussing the different branches of government. Taking out my notebook, I started writing notes down. After a while, I saw Simon's hand out of the corner of my eye. Stopping my pencil, I watched as he wrote something on the corner of my paper. When he was done, he moved his hand and I read the note. _You going to the dance?_

I looked up at Mr. Carnahan to make sure he wasn't watching. I had to wait a minute for him to turn back around. When he did, I looked down and wrote a response. _Course not. Why? _I lifted my pencil and waited for Simon to respond.

_It could be fun._

_ It never is._

_ How would you know? You've never been to one._

_ Why would I want to go to a dance to just stand around and watch your stuff?_

_ You could dance._

_ I don't dance._

_ You could talk to people._

_ Who would I talk to?_

_ A date._

_ Why the hell would I have a date?_

_ Cause there is a lot of girls who don't have a date._

_ Uh huh. And what girl would go with me?_

_ Chloe._

_ Chloe Saunders?_

_ Yeah. Why not?_

_ Why would I ask her?_

_ I don't know. I think you should._

As I started to write again, the bell rang. I set down my pencil and shut my notebook. Shoving them into my bag, I pushed the chair out and stood up. Simon followed suit and was soon following me out of the room.

"And why should I ask her?" I asked again.

"I just think you should," he said, shrugging.

"If you want her to have a date so bad, you ask her," I said.

"Can't," he said.

"What, did you suddenly become a monk?" I asked, dodging past some running kids.

He laughed. "Trust me. That is definitely _not _on my to do list. Actually, I already have someone in mind."

"Cheerleader?" I asked.

"Why is it that every time I like somebody, you automatically assume that it's a cheerleader?" he asked.

"Cause you usually are drooling over the first girl that walks by and that's usually a cheerleader shoving her way to get to you."

"Was that a compliment?"

"Not really, but if you want to take it as one, that's your choice."

"Whatever," he said as we stopped in front of my classroom. "I still think you should ask Chloe to the dance."

Before I could retort, he was already halfway down the crowded hall. Shaking my head, I walked into my college algebra class. I was the only junior in the class. The rest were seniors. I didn't really care. I didn't talk to any of them anyway. I was just in the class for the credit. I had already taken the class last year, but this was the highest math class they offered, so it was my only option. I didn't know anybody in the class, so I just hid in the back and wrote down the assignment. Today was no different. I spent the hour starting and completing the assignment. When that was done, I read White Fang. When Simon found out about the assignment in his class, he told Tori, who spent hours lecturing me on which classic I should pick. She thought I should read Frankenstein because she said I had a striking resemblance of the monster. Once she found out what I was actually reading, she teased me for hours.

When the hour was done, I gathered my things. Before I could get out the door, Mr. Griggs called me to his desk. I groaned and walked over. I didn't want to be late for English. Ms. Wallus had an abnormal attendance policy and I didn't want to get detention. When I got to the desk, I stopped and waited for him to start talking.

"I have to say, Mr. Souza, that I'm impressed," he said. "You've only been here almost a week and you have already managed to pass even my best students. Have you ever considered tutoring?"

"Not really," I said. "I don't think I would have the patience."

"Patience or not, I think you could really help some of the more…mathematically challenged students. Of course, if you agree, you will be paid."

"I don't know," I said, "I'd have to think about it." Of course, I had to intention of doing it.

"Well, whatever you decide," he said, dismissing me.

As soon as he was done talking, I rushed out the door and practically ran to my English class. I stepped in the door just as the bell rang. I breathed a sigh of relief. Today must be a day of lucky breaks. Ms. Wallus was just starting class as I walked back to my seat. Seeing Chloe in her seat reminded me of Simon's weird behavior earlier. _What did he care if I went to a stupid dance? He had never tried to get me to go to one before. _

Shaking it off, I sat down in my seat. I took out my things and opened my notebook to make it look like I was paying attention. Then I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms. As Ms. Wallus started talking, I only half listened. I only listened for information that I might need, and ignored the rest. It's not like the class is hard. Some things I don't understand, like poetry, but what we're doing now didn't require any actual thought. Beside me, Chloe was furiously writing down the teacher's every word. He eyes were focused on the paper in front of her. Her eyebrows were scrunched together in frustration. Every so often she would glance over at the empty space next to her and then quickly look back at her paper. I could smell her frustration growing. Her heart beat increased with every glance and I could smell her perspiration increase I little, signs that she was frustrated. _Frustrated at what?_

All of a sudden she straightened and silently gasped before looking over at me, catching me staring. I looked away, but not before seeing the blush creep up her face. As the hour went on, I didn't hear a word Ms. Wallus said. My mind was occupied. _What did she keep glancing at? And why did it frustrate her?_

My thoughts were interrupted by the bell ringing. I took my time getting up. I didn't eat lunch at school. I ate a lot in the mornings so that my stomach wouldn't go off during the day. If I ate lunch, my metabolism would start and the school didn't provide enough food. Instead, I spent lunchtime searching the school for anything strange. I knew there was something off about this school. Simon just thought I was being paranoid. He says that I want there to be something off about it, so that's the vibe I'm getting. As much as I wanted to believe him, my instincts agreed with me.

Once everybody was either at lunch or in class, I started walking through the empty hallways. Everything seemed normal, but that didn't mean it was. I knew from personal experience. As I walked, I picked up conversations from inside classrooms. Once I figured out they weren't strange, I moved on to the next. When I got to the offices, I stopped. Breathing deeply, a familiar scent invaded my senses. Stepping up to the doorway, I peeked around and immediately froze. Standing in the doorway of the principal's office was a man I had never seen before. However, he wasn't the one that made me stop. The woman he was talking to was. Standing next to him was Diane Enright. Tori's mother.

_This is bad. This is so very bad. _When I saw her, I practically ran to the library so that she wouldn't see me. There was a reason that Dad wanted custody over Tori. He didn't want Tori growing up with Mrs. Enright. From what he had told me about her, I don't blame him. She was a horrible woman who worked in a small subdivision of the St. Cloud cabal. Dad used to work with her before he left. This was pretty much the only information he had given to Simon and Tori. Of course Tori had met her mother, but it was only a few brief instances. He had told them that she was a witch and that was how Tori had gotten her powers and that even though her husband wasn't Tori's real father, Tori still had his name because that was part of the deal that Diane and Dad had made so that Dad could get Tori. She wanted Tori to have his name because she didn't want the supernatural world thinking that she had abandoned her daughter. That wasn't all he told _me _though.

When he told Simon and Tori about her I got the same story they did. But when I got older, he gave me a more thorough explanation. He told me more about the subdivision he used to work for and the reason Diane wanted a child with him. He explained to me about Tori's powers and how she was more powerful than the average witch. That was why Dad has a much easier time training Tori. She gets the spell faster than Simon. He didn't explain much about the place she works at but he did tell me that him working there had been a mistake. He wouldn't tell me what the subdivision did; only that it was bad. He wouldn't tell me anything else. I don't know why he told me about it and not Simon and Tori, but I didn't question him.

The bell rang, interrupting my thoughts. I stood up and walked through the aisles of books until I reached the door. When I walked out into the hallway, I heard someone come up behind me. Before I had time to turn around, a voice gave them away.

"Did you ask Chloe to the dance yet?" Simon asked.

"No," I said as I made my way through the crowd, my locker in sight.

"Are you going to soon?" he asked.

I saw my mistake and scowled. "I have not and will not ask Chloe to the dance."

"Why not?" he asked as I stopped in front of my locker.

"Because I'm not going to the dance," I said.

"Because you don't have a date?" he asked. "Well, Bro, that can easily be fixed. Just ask Chloe to the dance."

I sighed and halted packing my bag. "First of all, I'm not going to the dance. And that has nothing to do with my current relational status. Second of all, why do you keep on insisting that I go to the dance with Chloe?"

"Cause neither of you have a date," he said.

"At least a quarter of the school doesn't have a date. Why aren't you pushing Chloe on another dateless guy who actually is going to dance?" I asked, annoyed.

"Just because," he said. From the tone of his voice, I knew I was breaking him.

"Why don't you ask her?" I suggested.

"Because I'm already going to ask someone else," he said.

"Well, why not try to get one of the guys on your basketball team to go with her. I'm sure there is at least one guy who doesn't have a date and would just love to go with her," I said.

"Because they aren't y-" he started, cutting himself off.

"Ha," I said, "You were just about to say because they aren't me. Which brings me back to my point. Why does Chloe have to go to the dance with me?"

He hesitated for a second and looked around nervously. As he struggled for something to say, he looked up at the clock and looked relieved. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I'm going to be late for bio."

Before I could argue, he was already speeding off down the hallway. I looked down at my watch. I didn't have enough time to run after Simon. I'd do it later. Right now I was late for physics. I quickly shut my locker and walked to class. When I walked into the classroom and found my usual seat in the back, I took out my stuff and put my homework on the corner of the desk for Mrs. Lowenberger to pick up when she made her rounds to every desk. If I had mine already out, she didn't need to stop, which gave me more time with my thoughts. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the information about Tori's mom. I knew I had to tell Dad, but I wasn't sure if I should wait on that. There were certain things that I wanted to figure out first and I knew that if I told Dad, I wouldn't be able to. I didn't _want_ to tell Simon and Tori because I didn't want to risk them telling Dad. I would tell Simon, though, because I needed his help.

When physics was over, I had French. Today, however, I didn't spend it in the classroom. When I got there, Mrs. Wang had hung a note on the door saying that class was being held in the library because she was out of town and the sub didn't understand French, so she wrote that we were to do homework in the library. That was fine by me. I liked the library. I could hide myself behind the shelves away from everybody else.

As I walked around the library, I made my way to the back where it was secluded. When I got there, I heard a quiet voice. I stopped an aisle away and peeked through two books. Chloe was sitting by herself with a notebook open in her lap and a pen in her hand. She was murmuring quietly to herself. Only, it wasn't to herself. When she said something, she would glance at the empty seat next to her and wait for a response. I blocked out the other students and concentrated on her.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea anymore," she said.

She waited for a quick response, then said, "It's not going to work. Besides, I only have four more days. I can't do it in four days. Maybe I should let Jake win."

_Win what?_

She waited, then said, "It's only English."

_What's only English?_

"Well I know, but why does he have to offer me? And besides, he has the better end of the deal."

_What deal?_

"Well, I can't do the asking. But he can ask her and she can ask him, not that she would. He's not limited."

She seemed to think for a second before saying, "Unless I limit him. Neither of us has won yet, so that means the rules aren't exactly set in stone."

I stopped listening at that point. I had no idea what she was talking about and standing here listening wasn't going to tell me. Besides, I already got what I needed to know. Chloe might be talking to thin air, but she wasn't talking to herself. She was having a conversation with someone nobody else could see. And she knew it. She knew that the person she was talking to was invisible to everybody else. That was why she was tucked away in the farthest parts of the library talking as quietly as she could. She wasn't alone.

When school was over, I stood standing at the doors of the school. My backpack was at my feet as I leaned back against the doorframe with my arms crossed in front of me. My eyes were fixed on a small, blond sophomore surrounded by a small group of people. I recognized a few of the people. One was Jake. Another was his sister Maggie who was in my English class with Chloe. I didn't know that other two though.

"Hey, Bro," Simon said, coming up to stand next to me.

I didn't turn to look at him, just grunted my acknowledgment.

"What's wrong?" he asked, taking in my body language.

"We have a problem," I said, looking down at him.

"What kind of problem?" he asked.

I took a deep breath and said, "I walked around the school during lunch again and I found something."

"Something bad?" he said.

"Someone bad," I said.

"Somebody we know?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "Diane Enright."

His eyes widened. "What was she doing here? Isn't she supposed to be in Chicago?"

"Apparently she didn't get the message," I said.

"Where did you see her?"

"In the office."

"Do you think she's here about Tori?"

"I don't know."

"Well, it's weird sure, but I don't think it's anything to worry about."

"You don't know everything."

"What do you mean?"

"When Dad told us about her," I said. "He didn't say everything. He told me more."

"What did he say?" Simon asked.

"Not much, but enough to know that if she's here, it's not good," I said. "He told me more about why Tori was born. That Diane only chose Dad because he was a sorcerer. He told me to stay away from her. He also talked about his work. He wouldn't tell me what they did there, only that he has regrets."

"But that doesn't mean that her being here is a problem," he argued.

"Think about it," I said. "We haven't even been here a week. And who just happens to show up? The exact women who Dad warned me to stay away from. The exact women that who works for the company that Dad has regrets about. If that work is enough to give him regrets and she still works there, it's not good."

"So what are you thinking?" he asked.

"I don't think her being here is a coincident," I said. "I think she's been waiting."

"Waiting for what?" he asked.

"Us," I said. "I think she was waiting for our move here."

"What makes you think that?" he asked.

"We've been to how many schools and she showed up to this one? And as soon as we get here, both the principal and vice principal get sacked? That's more than coincidence," I said.

"What does the sacking have to do with this?" he asked.

"Because it creates job openings at the highest power of the school. When I saw her, she was talking to a man. I bet you that he's the new principal and that she's the new VP," I said.

"Okay, so say that's true. That doesn't mean we had anything to do with it," he said.

"Just listen to me for a second," I said. "There's something off about this school. It's not normal."

"And we are?" he said.

"That's exactly my point. We aren't normal. And neither are the students at this school," I said.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"Look over there," I said, pointing to Chloe. "She's not normal. She's a necromancer."

"How did you figure that out?" he said.

"She was talking to a ghost," I said.

"How do you know? Did you see it?" he said.

I glared at him. "She was having a conversation with it. During French. Everybody was in the library and she was in the back, talking quietly to an empty chair. She knew it was a ghost or she wouldn't have bothered keeping quiet. And in English, she kept glancing at the wall next to her. But she wasn't looking at the wall. She was looking at a ghost. And she was getting frustrated, meaning she didn't like what the ghost was saying."

"Just a random ghost?" he asked.

"No," I said. "She knows the ghost. What she was saying in the library proved that. She was talking about some deal that she made with Jake."

I looked over at Simon and saw that he had paled. I didn't tell him off for it. I had a feeling he knew something about the deal and the look on his face confirmed it. I just had bigger things to deal with right now.

"Just because she's a necromancer doesn't mean that the others are Supernaturals," he said.

"She's not the only one," I said. "There are more."

"What? Can you smell it?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"You can't smell Supernaturals unless they a-" he cut himself off.

"Unless they're werewolves," I finished for him.

"How many?" he said.

"I'm not sure. Two at least. Two seniors. I smelled them the other day," I said.

"Okay, so maybe you're right," he said, "which means you're probably right about the school."

I nodded.

"Do we tell Dad?" he said.

"No. I want answers and if we tell Dad I won't get them," I said.

"Do we tell Tori?" he said.

"Not yet. She wouldn't believe us. We'll wait until she gets suspicions and then tell her," I said.

"What do you want to do first?" he asked.

"I want to find out more about the place Dad worked at," I said. "Something tells me it has something to do with this school."

"How are you going to figure it out?" he asked.

I didn't answer. I knew he wouldn't like my plan. However, after knowing me for so long, he guessed it.

"You can't," he said. "If you get caught, you'll be kicked out of school."

"No I won't," I said.

"Breaking into school at night if definitely expulsion material," he said.

"Trust me," I said, looking at him. "I won't get kicked out."

"It's too risky," he said.

"It's the only way," I said.

"Then I'm going with," he said.

Before I could argue, he said, "If somebody comes, you'll have nowhere to hide. I've been working on my blur spell and that should at least confuse them," he said.

I thought for a second, then nodded. "You're right."

"So, when do we do it?" he asked.

"Not tonight," I said. "I've got to get the keys. I can get those off of a janitor."

"Tomorrow then?" he said.

"Yeah," I said.

"Can we go now?" I voice said behind us.

I turned around to see Tori walking up to us. "We were waiting for you."

"And now I'm here, so move it," she said.

I sighed. I wasn't in the mood to argue with her so I just walked down the steps and to my car with them trailing after me. Tori was the first in, claiming the front seat. Simon got in the back seat behind mine. When he got in, he paused in shutting the door. As he was looking in his bag next to him, he didn't notice anything at his feet. But I did. I was about to get in my seat when I saw something shine. I looked down the see a pair of keys at Simon's feet push themselves under his seat. I stared for a moment.

"Would you go?" Tori said.

I stared for a second longer before shutting my door. Simon followed suit and shut his. I then started the car and starting backing up. As I looked behind me, I noticed a slight movement in Simon's bag. I looked back ahead and started home.


	8. Where Is She?

**Okay, so I just have some comments for my reviewers. Apparently the stupid link to reply to you guys is broken, so I'll just use this.**

**Marlene: Did you mean to say that you hope the deal **_**will**_** ruin Chloe and Derek's relationship, or that it **_**won't**_** ruin their relationship?**

**Suzi1811: Well, you're gonna have a wait a little longer for the confrontation. I have a feeling I'm ticking some people off for how long I'm taking, but I have a plan and so far I'm pretty much on track. And as for who told Simon, you'll find out soon.**

**doarfthXx: How Simon knows will be explained. It might be in this chapter, but that depends on where this chapter goes.**

**shadowangel95: You know, the bag was initially just going to be his backpack and he was just looking in it, but now I have an idea of what he was looking at, so thanks.**

**Bookninja15: Thanks for the review. It made me laugh **

**Hawaiingrl: like I said to shadowangel195, I wasn't planning on having the bag be significant. It was just going to be a distraction so that the keys could be slipped under his seat. However, because you guys mentioned it, now I think I can use the bag as more. Thanks.**

**genderless-but straight: I'm glad you like it. And you'll be able to see Derek's reaction soon.**

**RukiaSuaza: I originally wanted it in a message, but everybody just answers in the review, so the review is fine**

**The answer to the last riddle was a door. Like I said the last chapter, this is the end of this round. The winner will get a preview and the second place winner will get a shorter preview. A note to those who won, you can pick when you get your preview, meaning that it doesn't have to be for the next chapter, but for a chapter down the line. You can review of PM and tell me when you want it.**

**First place: Hungergames-Chlerek-lover (You will be getting the preview by PM because the stupid review reply is broken)**

**Second place: Fanstorylover91 (Read above)**

_What gets wetter the more it dries?_

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**Chloe's POV (This starts during Derek and Simon's conversation after school)**

_Where is she? _I discretely looked around me but I couldn't find Beth. She had wandered off a little while ago saying that she saw _him._ She wanted to listen in on his conversation or something. I was getting kind of worried. I had to leave soon. While I knew that she could find her way back to the apartment all by herself, I was worried to what was taking her so long. Knowing Beth, it wasn't something good.

"Earth to Chloe," Jake said, interrupting my thoughts.

I looked over to see his hand waving in my face. I smiled and swatted it down. "You know, if you keep sticking your hands in everybody's faces, you're going to get bit."

"Think you can take me, Saunders?" he said, holding his hands up in fists.

"Better believe it, Shaw," I said, holding up my own fists.

"If you start something, you have to explain to Grandma why you're coming home with a broken nose," Maggie said to Jake.

"So?" Jake said.

"That includes who broke it," she said.

"You think I care if I get hit by a girl?" he said.

"No, but you might care when that girl beats you," she said.

I started laughing and said, "Your own sister doesn't even have faith in you."

"You know, Maggie, words hurt," Jake said and he started to fake cry. When he turned to walk away, Maggie grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back. She then wrapped her arms around him in a sisterly hug, which he returned. From the first time I had met them, I was amazed how close they were. I guess they kind of had to be from what happened to their parents, but I guess I was a little jealous. Though they are constantly complaining about each other, they knew that no matter what, they had each other. I didn't have anybody and sometimes it made losing my mom harder because I knew I never would have the opportunity to have a sibling.

"So, Maggie," Liz said, turning from her conversation with Rae, "Got a date yet for the dance?"

Maggie blushed and looked down at her feet.

"Oh my God!" Liz said. "You do! Spill."

"It's not that big of a deal," she said.

"Yes it is," she said. "Details!"

"What kind of details?" Maggie asked.

"How did he ask you out?" Liz asked.

Before Maggie could answer, Rae interrupted. "I think the first question should be who is it?"

Liz nodded in agreement and looked at Maggie.

Maggie took a deep breath and said. "It's…it's um…it's Simon."

Liz practically cheered and threw her arms around Maggie's neck. "You got Simon Bae as a date! I'm so proud of you."

While Rae and Liz were interrogating Maggie, I grabbed Jake's arm and pulled him aside. When I was sure that the rest couldn't hear us, I said, "I have a change to our deal."

"And what would that be?" he said.

"I think that because Derek has to ask me out, you should have to ask Tori out because you are the guy," I said.

He smiled and held out his hand, "Deal."

I grabbed his hand and shook.

"It's not like it's going to make much of a difference though," I said, as we were walking back to the group.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because she's never going to say yes," I said.

"You doubt me, Saunders?" he said, his eyebrows rising.

"That's right, Shaw," I said.

"Then I think we should up the stakes," he said.

"What's your proposition?" I asked, stopping.

"When I win," he said, making me laugh, "not only do you have to do my English homework, but you have to kiss Derek Souza if front of everybody."

"_If _you win, then Tori would be going out with you. That means I wouldn't be going with Derek which means that there would be no way that he would let me," I said.

"Which adds the thrill," he said.

"Thrill? You want thrill? Alright then." I said. "When _I _win, you have to go into the office and over the intercom announce your ever dying love for Victoria Enright."

"That'll get me killed," he said.

"Which adds the thrill," I said, mocking him.

He seemed to think about it for a second before holding out his hand again and saying, "You're on."

Now I'm really getting worried. I've been home for hours and Beth has yet to show up. _What if something happened to her? What if that secretary saw her?_ I shook my head. Now I was just being paranoid. She's just fine. Nobody can see her and she knows to steer clear of those who can. She probably just saw something shiny.

I waited for another half hour before giving up. Beth would show up when she felt like it. I turned to my neglected backpack. I had a mountain of homework and none of it I wanted to do. I walked over to my desk, which my backpack was leaning against, and picked it up. I dragged it over to my bed and heaved it onto the bed. I climbed onto my bed and unzipped it, groaning when I saw so much in it. There was no way I was sleeping tonight. I reached in and grabbed out my history stuff. I needed to read half the chapter and do a worksheet on it. It sounded easy enough, so I started with it.

After another half hour, I was done with the worksheet. I looked up at the clock and saw that it was 9:45. I still had so much and I was getting tired. Deciding I needed a caffeine boost, I hopped off my bed and walked to the kitchen. Dad was going through a stack of papers on the table.

"I thought you didn't have to work," I said.

"I don't," he said. Offering a small smile, he said, "But that doesn't mean that they stopped hounding me about deadlines."

"Must suck getting old," I said, walking over to the fridge.

"Ha ha," he said. "Just wait until you get older and get a job. You won't be laughing then."

"No, I probably still will be laughing," I said, grabbing mountain dew off the top shelf.

"Or when you get married and have a sixteen year old daughter nagging you," he said.

"I do not nag," I said, shutting the fridge and walking past him. "Now finish your work and off to bed."

I walked to my room to the sound of his laughter. When I got to my room, I shut my door and turned around. I had to work to keep the scream from coming out when I saw Beth standing behind me.

"You know not to scare me," I said

"Sorry," she said.

"Where were you?" I asked.

"Following a lead," she said.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Nothing," she said. She looked like she was hiding something.

"What?" I asked.

"What what?" she asked,

"What are you hiding?" I asked.

"I'm not hiding anything," she said.

"Yes you are," I said. "I can see it on your face."

"Okay, so maybe I am, but I can't tell you," she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because he said not to," she said.

"Who's he?" I asked.

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"Because he said not to."

"Beth," I said.

"I know you want to know, and I really want to tell you, but not yet," she said.

"But you will tell me eventually?" I asked.

"Yes," she said.

"Promise?" I asked, knowing she would never break a promise.

"I promise," she said.

**This is Derek's POV starting a few hours after he gets home. **

"Think of anything yet?" a voice said.

I looked up from my book to see Simon standing in the doorway. He was leaning against it with his arms crossed. I motioned for him to come in and shut the door, which he did. I moved over on my bed and he sat down, making himself at home. Of all the places for us to meet, my room was probably the best. It couldn't be anywhere Dad would here us or we wouldn't be able to go through with it. I would have met with him in _his _room, but I wasn't sure I would find anywhere to move. We've only been here a week but his room was already a mess. He hadn't even finished unpacking and he had things thrown around everywhere.

"So?" he said. "Any plans?"

"Nothing final," I said. "But I have the basics down. We'll go tomorrow night after Dad leaves. He's got a conference in Ithaca and won't be back until tomorrow night. That only leaves finding an excuse to get by Tori. If it was just me, I could just tell her I'm changing, but obviously I can't tell her that with you out too. We'll have to figure something out later."

"So that's a definite no on telling her?" Simon said.

"Yeah," I said. "Going with just the two of us is tricky enough. Three would just overcomplicate things."

"So where do we start?" he asked.

"We'll leave around 9:30. The school is usually locked up by 8 at the latest, but I don't want to risk anything. I went around the school at lunch and looked for security cameras and made a note for the ones that may be a problem. There's the one on the outside doors, one in the hall outside the offices and one in the secretary's office. I'm not sure about the office itself, so we have to be careful."

"How are we supposed to get by them?" he asked.

I didn't answer him for a minute. I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. "We may have to bring Tori in on the plan."

"Why?" he asked. "You said that three would overcomplicate things."

"I know what I said, but we may have no other choice. We need somebody who's computer smart and that's Tori."

"Why computer smart?"

"She could probably hack into the mainframe of the school with her laptop and shut down the cameras."  
"Bringing three into the school might be hard."

"But she wouldn't have to go in," I said. "She could do it from the car. When she's done, we'll go in. She can wait in the car."

"You can't think of another way?" he asked.

"It's not like we have somebody that can work from the insi-" I stopped myself short as I remembered something. I quickly stood and walked out of my room. I heard Simon following me but I didn't stop. I walked down the hall and down the stairs, past Tori who was talking on the phone. I didn't bother asking who it was. I really didn't care. She didn't even notice I was there. I made my way to the front door and stepped out. Simon took a while getting out. He grabbed his coat on his way out. I didn't even bother. I wouldn't feel the cold for a while. When I got to my car, he asked, "Did you forget something?"

"Kinda," I said, opening the back door and leaning down. I reached under the seat and felt around. All I felt was empty space so I extended my arm.

"I don't think there's anything there," Simon said, impatiently rocking back and forth. His hands were shoved in his pocket and his breath was coming out in puffs. I could tell he was cold and just wanted to get back inside.

"Just hold on," I said. I reached a little farther and my hands closed around cold metal. "Ha."

I pulled out the keys I had seen earlier and held them up for Simon to see.

"What are those for?" he asked.

"The school," I said. "I think."

"How did you get those?" he asked. "You didn't have those earlier."

"I think we're being followed," I said, standing up straight and shutting the door.

"Followed?" he asked. "By who? I didn't see anybody."

"Exactly," I said. I looked around me and said, "I know you're there."

"Who?" Simon said. "Derek, there's nobody here but us."

"Yes there is," I said. To the air, I said, "Look, I know you're there. I saw you put the keys under the seat and I saw you move the bag. You're the one Chloe was talking to, aren't you?"

There was still no answer.

"Move something," I said.

"Now I'm getting worried," Simon said. "There is nobody the-"

He was cut off by a snow ball hitting him square in the face. I held back a laugh at the look on his face, which was priceless. His eyes were wide and his mouth was open. He stood there stunned for a minute before he got angry.

"Tori!" he yelled. "That wasn't funny."

"That wasn't Tori," I said.

"To hell it wasn't," he said, angrily.

"Tori's inside talking on the phone. I can see her through the window," I said. He turned to look. Seeing her inside, he frantically started looking around.

"What the hell was that, then?" he asked.

"Remember earlier when I said Chloe was talking to a ghost?" I asked. He nodded. I motioned in the direction the snowball was coming from.

"But ghosts can't move things," he said.

"I don't know how, but somehow this one can," I said. I looked over at the empty space. "I've got a deal for you."

I waited a minute before another snowball came flying. This one hit the side of Simon's head.

"Hey!" he shouted. "Why do you keep hitting _me_?"

"One for no, two for yes," I said, ignoring Simon. "Understand?"

Two more snowballs hit Simon, this time in the arm.

"Good," I said. "Are you the ghost that Chloe was talking to in the library?"

Two snowballs.

"So she is a necromancer?" I said.

Two snowballs.

"Does she know what she is?" I asked.

Two snowballs.

I changed the topic and asked, "Have you been following us?"

Two snowballs.

"Does Chloe know you're here?"

One snowball this time.

"I have a deal for you," I said. "We want answers. Something tells me so do you. If you help us, we can both get them. Are you willing to help?"

Two snowballs.

"Good," I said. "There is one condition, though. You can't tell Chloe. Understand?"

There was a moment of hesitation before two more snowballs hit Simon in the chest. By now, he was covered in snow and pretty pissed off. I decided to move the questions into the house before he snapped. I locked my car door and pocketed both sets of keys. I walked to the door and held it open. Simon walked through and I waited a second. A flutter of paper inside told me the ghost had entered, so I walked in and shut the door. We walked up the stairs and back to my room.

I shut my door and motioned to my empty desk chair. A moment later the chair shifted a little to show me that she had sat down. Simon sat down on my bed but I remained standing. I looked around my room for something that the ghost could communicate with. There wasn't really a point talking to a ghost that couldn't answer. I looked until I saw a small dry erase marker and board. I picked it up and set it on the desk in front of the chair.

"Can you write?" I asked.

The marker lifted and started to write on the board. While the writing was rather messy, it was legible. I nodded at the chair and walked over to the head of my bed, where Simon was sitting. I turned around and faced the chair.

"If I ask you a yes or no question, just tap the marker once for no and twice for yes. That way it will be faster," I said.

The marker tapped twice.

"Are you a girl or a boy?" Simon asked.

"That's not really the kind of question I was talking about," I said, looking down at him.

"Well, I'd like to know who I'm talking to," he said. "It would get a little weird addressing them as 'floating marker'."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. This was going to take longer than I wanted. I looked up at the chair and motioned for the ghost to answer. The marker lifted and started to write. It stopped at the first letter and set back down. A _G_ was written.

"What's your name?" Simon asked.

The marker lifted again and started to write. When it was done, I read Beth on the board.

"Beth?" I asked.

The marker tapped twice. I nodded and said, "Alright. I want to ask you a few questions first before we get to our deal."

The marker tapped twice again and I went on.

"How long have you known Chloe?" I asked.

_Year_

"How far has she gotten with her powers?" I asked.

_Nowhere _

"How did you die?" I asked.

_Car_

I took that as car accident and went on, "How old are you?"

_16_

"Are you human?" I asked. "Or supernatural?"

She didn't answer for a while. When she did, the marker hovered over the board like she was stalling. At last she started to write. When she was done, I read _don't know._

"How don't you know?" I asked.

_I am but don't know_

"You know you're a supernatural but you don't know what race?" I asked.

The marker tapped twice.

"Were your parents supernaturals?" I asked.

_Don't know_

"How don't you know?" I asked.

_Adopted_

"Then how do you know you're supernatural? I asked.

_Did something_

"What did you do?" I asked.

_Cut finger. Healed_

"You healed your cut?" I asked.

The marker tapped twice.

"Shamans are healers," I said.

"So she's a shaman?" Simon asked.

"Must be," I said.

The marker tapped the board and wrote _deal?_

"Right," I said. "The deal is this. We're sneaking into the school tomorrow night. However, we could use some help."

_Help how_

"There are security cameras that we need to be shut off. Think you could get in and shut them off from the inside?" I asked.

_Cake_

"Good," I said. "Can you meet us at the school at 9:30?"

The marker tapped twice.

"Once you have the cameras off, me and Simon will enter and school and get to the office. I'm not sure which office it will be but there are two offices and a storage room. We can each take a room and if we find anything, we'll alert the others." I explained.

"What are we looking for?" Simon asked.

"Anything weird. Anything to do with supernaturals. There is something going on at that school. Not including us, there are at least three other supernaturals. That's more than in a standard high school."

"Alright," Simon said.

I looked over at the marker and it tapped twice.

"Good," I said. "Tomorrow then. Remember, you cannot tell Chloe."

The marker tapped twice and fell back on the board. I guessed that she had left.

"What happens if we find anything?" Simon asked. "Do we tell Dad?"

"He'd want us to, but if we did he wouldn't let us figure it out. He'd insist that it was nothing," I said.

"Okay," Simon said, standing up and walking out, shutting my door behind him, leaving me alone to my thoughts.

This was all happening a little too fast for my liking. We'd been here a week and already were having problems. Plus, now I had a ghost to deal with. I'm a werewolf, not a necromancer. Speaking of necromancers, there is something odd about the one who sits next to me. She's not crazy. At least, not clinically insane. She's not talking to herself in English. She is a little weird though. She seems…desperate. Not desperate in a bad way, but she seems a little too eager to talk to me. I'm not what I used to be last year. My acne is gone and my hair is greasy, but I still don't get fawned over. I haven't given up my loose clothes, so some people think I'm fat. That may have something to do with the reason that girls still don't talk to me. Not that I care. Girls are Simon's thing, not mine. And yet I can't seem to get this one girl out of my head. I don't like her. Not that way. But something is off about her. She seemed fine the first day. A little weird, but nothing noticeable. But then she started really talking to me and she seemed to care about my opinion. She seemed really self-conscious about how she dressed. And more importantly, what I thought about it. Why does she care that I exist?

A thought hit me that sent me out of my room and towards Simon's. He knew something. Tori did too but it would be easier to get information out of Simon. He was easy to break.

I stopped outside his room and knocked. I heard him shuffling around inside and then open the door. He held it open as I walked in. I shut it for him while he went and sat back on his bed.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "What have you been hiding?"

He face paled and he swallowed. "Hiding?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Who said I was hiding anything?" he asked, looking worried.

"The fact that you and Tori have been hiding in here with a sound proof spell around it kinda gives it away. Also, every time somebody mentions Jake and some bet, you look like you're going to be sick. Now what is this bet and what does it have to do with me?"

"You're not gonna like it," he said.

"I don't care," I said. "I just want to know."

"Chloe and Jake made a bet. About you and Tori. Only Tori doesn't know about her part in it so she's been helping me. They made a bet about who could get one of you to go with them to the dance first. Jake is supposed to get Tori to go to the dance with him or he has to announce his ever dying love for her over the school intercom."

I hid a smile. That had to be Chloe. And if so, I've underestimated her. "And Chloe?"

"Chloe has to get you to ask her to the dance or she has to do his English homework for a week and kiss you in front of everybody. But the thing is, _you _have to ask her. She can't ask you. And Jake has to ask Tori. Tori doesn't know about that and has been trying to help me think of ways to get you to ask Chloe."

"Why do you want Chloe to win?" I asked.

"Well Tori just wants to humiliate you. But I think you should go for it. Chloe's nice. She's decent. And more importantly, she went with it. She agreed to a date with you with barely meeting you. Even if it is for a bet, she didn't judge you before she got to know you."

"How did you find this out?" I asked.

"From Jake. He told me at practice," he said.

I nodded.

"I know you're mad, but please don't take it out on Chloe. She doesn't deserve it," he said.

I didn't say anything. I just turned and walked out. When I got to my own room, I walked over to my desk and started my neglected homework to pass the time. Contrary to what Simon thought, I wasn't mad. I thought it was amusing. I wasn't going to go with it of course, but I was willing to see how far she would go for the bet. Plus, I'd like to see Tori's face when she finds out her role in it.

Reaching down into my backpack, I took out my English stuff. I opened the folder and froze. _Shit._ Inside was Chloe's math. I must have grabbed it by mistake. I took it out and flipped through it. The only correct answers were the ones that I had done with her. I looked up at the clock. Figuring I had time, I took out a separate piece of paper and started working the problems in detail for her to understand. If I wasn't going to help her with her bet, I might as well help her with her math.


	9. So You Did Get A Tutor

**Okay everybody, I'm back. Sorry for the wait. I've sort of been preoccupied with a chapter down the line. I know I know, I should be writing the chapters ahead of it so that I can even put it in, but it happens to be a **_**very**_** important chapter and I just can't stop writing it. Anyway, I bring you a new chapter. Like I said, this one is in Chloe's POV. It should also bring back a few themes that I started and then suddenly ditched. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**The answer to the last riddle was that it was an all girl's team. **

_What is very light but can't be lifted?_

"Maybe we should go over your approach again," Beth said, sitting on the edge of my bed watching me as I got ready for school.

"My approach for what?" I asked, searching for a matching sock. Usually I have them matched up but I happened to be very lazy on laundry day. I flipped through another pile and finally found a match.

"For Friday," she said. "I know you want to focus on math and your other homework, but you only have four more days until the dance, counting today. And what is the chance that he is going to ask you on Friday? That reduces you to three."

"I'm pretty much counting on you for that," I said. By now I knew that I didn't have a prayer if I was to get him to ask me.

"Well, I can probably give you tips during school. Of course, there is that little rule about not talking to you during class, so I guess that mean no," she said, crossing her legs.

"Yes, that means no," I said. "I can't risk anyone seeing me talking to myself or anything. I've already been caught and I don't want to risk another."

"We can talk after school," she suggested.

"Can't," I said. "Not today. I have the dance committee after school. We're going over the plans and the supplies that we need and we're decorating the gym Friday after school."

"Well that we includes Derek," she said.

"And?" I said. "Even if I did get a minute alone with him, I wouldn't have the slightest clue what to say to him."

"Okay, here's the gist of it," she said. "If you're in class with him then you don't have a lot of privacy. That means you have minimal talking time. Gestures are your best bet. Stuff like 'accidently' nudging with your elbow and pretending to be having a hard time with a problem. That gives you an opportunity to talk to him by asking for help. Just make sure that it isn't an overly obvious question or you look like an idiot."

"I pretty much look like an idiot _without_ pretending to," I said.

"Then you have an advantage," she said.

I gave her a look and she continued. "Okay, if you're with him in a non classroom setting, but not overly private, like the hallway, you have more opportunity for talking. However, you don't have a lot of time, so mostly small talk. You're just establishing that you are willing to talk. If he wants to extend the conversation to a later time, he's free to do so without the pressure of obligation."

"And if I'm totally alone with him?" I asked.

"In a school environment, you're probably not going to be completely alone, not this early in the relationship. However, events such as the dance committee allow for similar conditions. There are still people around, but you're less likely to be interrupted by them because they will be doing their own thing. This gives you an opportunity to have Derek's complete attention."

"And what do I do once I have it?" I asked.

"This is where the serious conversation comes in," she said. "Begin by making small talk. See what he reacts to the most. Try things like his family or the weather if you're desperate. He has to be interested in the topic or you won't get a good reaction. Once you have a good topic, ask questions. This gives you an opportunity to just listen and you can learn more about him. However, don't make him do all the talking. Offer up something once in a while."

"How do you know all this?" I asked.

"Personal experience," she said. "Also, watching way too much TV."

I was about to respond when Dad called from the kitchen telling me that I was going to be late if I didn't leave now. I looked at the clock and saw that it was 7:50. I grabbed my bag and jacket and left my room, Beth at my heels.

"Do you want me to drive you?" he asked when I walked into the kitchen.

"Sure," I said. "I have to stay after school, though."

"What do you have to stay after school for?" he asked.

"I'm on the dance committee," I said, grabbing an apple out of the basket.

"As long as it isn't detention," he said, winking at me as he walked out of the kitchen. I rolled my eyes and walked to the door.

An hour and a half later, I was panicking at my locker. I was almost hyperventilating. _I know I had it. _I tore through my locker searching for it. The bell was going to ring any minute and I couldn't find my math homework. I know it wasn't finished, but that didn't mean I couldn't scribble in answers and hope one of them was right. However, now I didn't even have the packet to scribble on. Without it, I was definitely going to fail the class.

"I'm sure it's in there somewhere," Beth said. She was standing next to me, looking sympathetic.

I knew I couldn't answer her in school and right now, that wouldn't have mattered. I was in too much of a rush to find the packet. By now, my locker was a phenomenal mess. Once I was sure that I had checked every corner of it, I groaned. I was going to fail. I couldn't fail. Before I could start a third search, the bell rang. I was going to fail. I miserably grabbed my bag and shut my locker. I hefted the bag over my shoulder and started my walk towards failure.

I walked into the class with the last of the stragglers. I made my way to my desk and sat down. When Maggie saw my face, she instantly asked what was wrong.

"I lost the packet," I said.

"Oh no," she said.

"I don't know where it could have gone," I said, dropping my head into my hands.

"Maybe you can talk to Mr. Stang for another copy and see if he will let you turn yours in for half credit," she suggested.

"He wouldn't let me," I said. "He's got it in for me, I know it."

The door closed with a bang and the room fell silent.

"Alright, everybody take out your packets and leave pass them to your neighbor for them to correct," Mr. Stang said.

Maggie gave me a sympathetic look as she took out hers. Mr. Stang was about to start announcing the answers when a knock sounded on the door. I watched as he walked over to the door and stepped out. He was gone for a minute before he came back in and shut the door. In his hand was a piece of paper. He started walking in my direction and I wondered what it was. He stopped in front of me and held it out.

"You're tutor said to give this to you. He said you forgot it," he said.

_Tutor?_ I made sure to keep my face straight so that he wouldn't question it. I reached out and grabbed the paper. However, when I felt it, it was thicker. I turned it over and my eyes went wide. It was my packet. All the answers and had been filled in and there was even an extra sheet of paper showing the work. _Who did this? _The hand writing seemed familiar but I couldn't place where I had seen it before.

"So you did get a tutor," Maggie said.

I just nodded, not knowing what to say. I handed her the packet and took hers. _Who would do my math homework for me?_ When Mr. Stang started saying answers, I focused on the paper in front of me. I'd figure out my 'tutor' later.

When we were done correcting, we exchanged again. Maggie was smiling when she handed me mine.

"I guess the tutor is really working," she said.

I looked at the score and gasped. There were none wrong. Not only did my 'tutor' do all the problems, they did them all right. He must be a math genius. Mr. Stang walked over and grabbed our packets. He looked at my score and he looked very impressed.

"Very good, Ms. Saunders," he said.

I nodded and looked down. Now I just needed to get through the rest of math without any problems. Luckily my prayer was answered. Mr. Stang didn't call on me once, which was fortunate. I wouldn't have known that answer and he would have known that I didn't do the homework. When I left math, Beth was waiting for me at my locker. She was practically beaming. I gave her a questioning look, but she wouldn't answer. She just kept smiling. I just ignored her and grabbed my English stuff. If it was important, she would tell me. Actually, if it was important she would probably make me sweat it out. Oh well, on to English.

I walked into English and found Derek already in his seat, reading. He looked really into it. Trying not to disturb him, I quietly walked around his chair and into my seat. I set my stuff of the table in front of me and leaned back. _Alright. Now was the time to put Beth's advice into action. _I looked over at him. He was still reading. _I'll wait until class starts._ He didn't seem to mind a distraction, though, because a second later, he closed his book and said, "Hey."

I looked over at him, surprised that he had said anything. After a second, I remembered that I had yet to answer and dumbly said, "Hey."

"Simon mentioned something about a science project," he said.

"Oh…um, what has he told you?" I asked.

"That you guys are studying decomposition. I wasn't too clear on my role," he said.

"Well, Simon wanted you to find dead things," I said. "It's not like you have to, though."

"I'm not sure I'll be able to," he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"It's winter. Snow?" he said.

"Right," I said. "Anything dead will probably be covered in snow."

"I mean, I'll try, but I can't promise anything," he said.

"It's alright," I said. "If you don't find anything, I can always make Simon walk along the highway and look for something."

That earned me a laugh. It wasn't long, but it was something. I smiled and looked forward. _I made Derek Souza laugh. _

"Wow," a voice said next to me.

Though I was pretty much used to it, I jumped at the voice. _Damn it, Beth._ Derek looked over at me with a questioning look. I mumbled something incoherent and looked down. I glared at Beth. She smiled at me apologetically.

"Sorry," she said. "I just meant, wow, you had a conversation with him. Granted, it was about dead things, but hey, it's a start."

I didn't answer. Instead, I looked forward at Ms. Wallus, who had started talking. _So much for Beth's advice. Derek must think I'm crazy for jumping at nothing. _There was no way I was drawing any more attention to myself. Ms. Wallus passed out worksheets to everybody and said to have them finished by the end of the hour. I looked down and wondered how she expected that. It was a word scramble of the different classics. On each line, there was the scrambled title of a classic and next to it was the scrambled author. _One hour? Try a day._

I worked for the first half hour just on the first one. I couldn't figure it out. I mean, what the heck were RATEG PAXCETTNOIS and LARHCSE NKICSDE? I was starting to think that she just put random letters together.

"The first one is Great Expectations and Charles Dickens," Derek said, leaning over.

I looked over at him and said, "Huh?"

"The first answer," he said.

I looked down and tried it. It worked. I looked over at him and said, "Thanks."

He nodded and said, "Want to work together? It'll get done faster."

"Are we allowed?" I asked.

"Heck if I know," he said. "But I'm not doing this ridiculous worksheet by myself in an hour."

I smiled and said, "Alright. It's not like I'm going to know any."

He leaned over and I scooted my chair closer. I waited for him to scoot me back, but he didn't, so I took that as it was okay. We spent the rest of class working on the paper. It turned out that I did know some and between the two of us, we got the sheet done. When the bell dismissed us, we collected our stuff and got up.

"I guess we make quite a team," I said.

He looked over and a look flashed through his eyes to fast for me to interpret. "I guess so."

I bit my lip and said, "So the dance committee meets today."

"Uh huh," he said, walking toward the door. I followed behind him. I was confused. We seemed to be making progress during class and now he was back to his laconic self. I walked behind him in the hall all the way until my locker, where I turned and stopped in front of it. I turned my head and watched him continue walking until he turned a corner and I lost sight. I sighed and concentrated on my locker. I could see Beth out of the corner of my eye and she looked like she wanted to say something. She kept silent, though, because she knew I was already mad at her. I heard a creaking next to me and I moved my door a little bit to see Tori next to me. She was putting her stuff in her locker. I would have said hi, but I wasn't in the mood to get bitched at. Instead, I shut my locker and proceeded to the cafeteria. I quickly grabbed a lunch and walked over to my friends, who were waiting for me.

"You would not believe what I saw at the mall yesterday," Rae said, once I was situated.

"Probably not, but go on," I said, ripping a piece off my roll and plopping it into my mouth.

"I was walking out of the food court when I saw Amber Long. And she wasn't alone," she said.

"Who was she with?" Liz asked, already completely engrossed in Rae's story.

"Liam Malloy," Rae said.

"The senior?" Liz asked.

"The very same," Rae said.

"What was she doing with him?" Maggie asked.

"I'm not sure, but let me tell you, they looked pretty close," she said.

"Talking close or tongues shoved down each other's throats close?" I asked.

"Tongues," Rae said. "It was pretty disgusting."

"I feel for you," Liz said.

I heard laughing coming from the other side of the room and I looked over. It was the basketball player's table. I know because Jake sits there every day. He seemed to be telling everybody something and they were laughing. I could see Simon sitting across from Jake. Seeing him gave me a thought. I swung my head to the other side of the room and saw Tori sitting with a few girls. _Where's Derek? _I know it's possible for him to have friends other than Simon, but I couldn't remember ever seeing him in the cafeteria. _Where does he go during lunch?_

I got up and made an excuse about talking to a teacher. I dumped the rest of my almost untouched lunch and exited the cafeteria. I walked down the empty halls, but there was no sign of him. I went into the nearest bathroom and called for Beth. It took a minute, but she eventually appeared.

"You rang?" she asked.

"I know that you follow Derek around during the day," I said. She nodded and I continued, "Where does he go?"

"Everywhere," she said. "He usually just walks around the school."

"Does he have a usual place that he goes?" I asked.

"The office, mostly," she said.

"Is he there now?" I asked.

She looked down and said, "I don't know. I wasn't following him."

"Then where were you?" I asked.

"Nowhere," she said.

I could tell that she was lying but I didn't push. She was entitled to a few lies once in a while. And it wasn't like where she goes is exactly my business. Instead, I asked, "What were you so happy about this morning?"

She looked back up at me and her smile came back, "That's for me to know and for you to find out."

"Do I even get a hint?" I asked. "Like what is was about?"

"Nope," she said, popping the P.

"Was it about my supposed tutor?" I asked.

"Getting warmer," she said.

"You know who it is, don't you?" I asked.

"We have a winner," she said.

"Well, who is it?" I asked.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," she said again, skipping out of the bathroom. I sighed and followed her out. She could be a real pain when she wanted to be. I guess _I'll _check the office. I walked down the hall toward the office, but I didn't see Derek. I even went as far as stick my head inside, but there was no sign of him. _Well, he has to be somewhere._ I kept walking down the hall until I heard a small bang. I stopped and listened. There is was again. It sounded like it was coming from the gym. _Is he in the gym?_ I walked over to it and went in. it wasn't Derek. It was Austin. I didn't know him very well, but he seemed to be a nice enough guy. He was sitting on the bleachers tossing a tennis ball at the wall and having it bounce back. And he was alone. That was new. Usually he was hanging out with his brother and his friends. They weren't exactly the best crowd. Liam Malloy and Ramon Santos were seniors. I've only seen them a few times because they never come to school. According to Aunt Lauren, they're trouble. The third member of the group is Royce Banks, Austin's older brother. I know more about him. He's a junior and a major player. He's not as dangerous as Liam and Ramon, but he was trouble.

I wondered what Austin was doing alone. I walked in a little bit and he saw me. He looked at me and started to get up. I took a step back and held up my hands, trying to show him that I wasn't a threat. He hesitated, but he eventually eased back down. I slowly walked over. He seemed jumpy. Almost afraid. I instantly felt sorry for him. Only hanging out with Royce and his crowd must have taken its toll on Austin. I couldn't imagine Royce doing to safest things and dragging Austin into it seemed to create a permanent fear. I walked until I was a few feet away and then stopped.

"Have you seen Derek?" I asked.

"The new kid?" he asked.

"Yeah, him," I said.

"Not since this morning," he said, turning the tennis ball in his hand absentmindedly.

"Oh," I said. "Thanks anyway."

He nodded and I started walking away. I made it a few feet before stopping myself. I turned back around and said, "Are you okay?"

He looked up at me, confused, and said, "What do you mean?"

"It's just…you seem…never mind," I said. I turned around to go when I felt something on my elbow. I turned around to see Austin's hand on my elbow to stop me. I looked up, questioning. He seemed nervous.

"Can I ask you a question?" he said.

"You kinda just did," I said, trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work.

"I meant a real question," he said.

"Okay, shoot," I said.

"You…you're a…never mind," he said, looking down._ I'm a what?_ I wondered what he wanted to ask, but I didn't push. He seemed nervous enough.

"Um, I have to go," I said, "but if it's important, I'll be here after school. I'm on the dance committee. You can ask me then."

He nodded and walked back to his seat. I turned and walked out of the gym. Just as I walked out, the bell rang. _I guess that means no Derek._ I sighed and started walking toward my locker. Beth was standing by it, waiting for me. Her face was neutral, which was unusual for her. I didn't think anything of it, though. Today was just a day for weirdness. Just when I got my locker open, Tori got to hers. She didn't open it, though. I kinda looked like she was waiting for me to finish. I quickly grabbed my stuff and shut my locker.

"Is he serious?" she asked.

"Who?" I asked.

"Jake," she said. "Can I take him seriously?"

"I guess," I said. "It comes and goes."

"Would he be serious in a relationship?" she asked.

Confused as to why she asking me and what she was talking about, I said, "I guess. I'm sure he would if he thought the relationship was worth it."

She nodded and strutted off towards class. I looked at Beth in confusion and she just shrugged. Like I said, a day for weirdness. I walked after her and into biology, where Simon was staring at the table with a blank look on his face. It actually looked really funny. When I got closer, though, I saw that he was staring at a piece of paper, not the table. I walked around him and looked at it. I was filled with a bunch of numbers.

"What's that?" I asked, sitting down.

"I have no idea," he said.

"Then why are you staring at it?" I asked. He looked up and said, "I got it in government. I'm supposed to have it done by tomorrow."

"And what exactly is there to do?" I asked.

"I have no idea," he said, looking back down at it. "I don't even know what it's about."

"Well, you have the class with Jake and Derek, right?" I said. "Why not ask them?"

"I asked Jake. He doesn't get it either," he said. "And I'd ask Derek, but he doesn't have time. He's got that dance thing after school."

"Why not ask him tonight?" I suggested.

"We're busy tonight," he said.

"Oh," I said.

"Oh, well," he said. "It's just one assignment. So, ready for death?"

I laughed. He actually managed to sound menacing. "If I go down, you're going down with me."

"Deal," he said, smiling. "As long as you go first."

"And why is that?" I asked, my hands going to my hips.

"Ladies first," he said.

"Thank you for being courteous," I said, sarcastically.

"You are very welcome, my lady," he said, making a sweeping bow. He reached down into his bag and grabbed out the books from yesterday. I grabbed the one I was using and flipped it open. He did the same and soon we were taking notes. After a half hour, he shut his book with a thud. I looked over.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"No," he said. "My hand is just cramping."

"I think we're due for a break," I said, shutting my own book. "So, I heard you're taking Maggie to the dance."

He looked over and smiled, "Yeah."

I smiled back and said, "Apparently she's not the only one excited."

"Why?" he asked, looking confused. "Who else is?"

"You, dummy," I said, laughing.

He started laughing with me. "Oh, right."

We talked about Maggie and the dance for the rest of the hour. Apparently he _was _looking forward to it. He talked about her and her art and how he was really impressed. Just listening to Simon talk, I was really happy for Maggie. She picked a keeper.

When the bell rang, we left the room, talking. He followed me to my locker and then we parted. _Now onto French._ I wasn't exactly dreading it. I didn't hate French. I just wish I didn't have to go to it. I'd tried Spanish in my freshman year, but it didn't suit me, so I switched. The only thing, however, that I had to look forward to was the guy who sits next to me. I wasn't really sure on how to use Beth's advice in this situation. We sit at separate desks, so I can't exactly nudge him. Well, I could, but it would look kinda obvious if I nudged him from all the way across the aisle. That would really get me a look.

I walked into French expecting to see Derek already at his desk. However, his chair was empty. _Hmm…guess I'm early._ I walked to my seat and plopped down. I looked up at the board to see what was on the agenda. Quiz. _Great. Just what I need._ I reached down and grabbed out my notebook, hoping to get in a few minutes of studying. Those minutes were interrupted, however, when Derek walked into the room. I looked up to see him walking toward his desk. I looked back down, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn't concentrate with Derek sitting next to me. Sighing in frustration, I shut my notebook and shoved it under my desk. Derek noticed my frustration and his eyebrow rose, asking, "Bad day?"

"Weird day," I said, leaning my cheek in my hand.

"Weird?" he questioned.

"Well, not psycho-murderer weird," I said.

That earned me a smile. It was small, but it was a smile. Our conversation was interrupted but the teacher, as always. One of these days I wanted to have an actual conversation with Derek without any interruptions. Ms. Wang took attendance and handed out the quiz. It wasn't that hard, but I hated having to remember where all the accents go.

When French was over, I headed to theatre. And like French, it was uneventful. The most interesting this was when Liz put her hand under her chair and touched gum. The disgustingness: $15. Trying not to laugh: $25. The look on Liz's face: priceless.

After theatre, I headed to the gym. Finally I could get my chance to actually talk to Derek. If I got one more interruption, I was going to scream. I walked into the gym and searched for Derek. I found him standing by the bleachers looking at a piece of paper. I walked over to him and dropped my bag next to his.

"What's that?" I asked.

"And itinerary," he said.

"Come again?" I asked.

"It's a list of what we need to get done," he said, "and when we need to do it."

"I thought we were planning everything today," I said, confused.

"Change of plans. They already planned everything, we just have to put everything together," he said.

"They want us to decorate today?" I asked.

"Start today," he said. "I guess they figured out that two hours before the dance isn't enough time to get it all done."

"So what are we supposed to do?" I asked.

"Today they want us to paint a banner saying 'Winter Dance'. Completely unoriginal, but at least it isn't longer," he said.

"That's all?" I asked.

"It's a big banner," he said, pointing to a giant piece of paper. I groaned. _Great._

We started by using a ruler to make all the words. Derek did the measuring, I did the drawing. It wasn't perfect, but it worked. When we were done, the art teacher came over to see our progress. She was supervising. She nodded and went to retrieve the paint. I looked over at Amber and glared at the back of her head. Derek noticed the look and gave me a questioning look.

"Amber's not even going to help," I said. "She's going to flirt the entire time, going from guy to guy."

"That's to be expected," Derek said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well, when your brain is the size of a walnut, you tend to have a short attention span," he said.

I laughed and said, "I think you're giving her too much credit."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I think a walnut is a little big," I said, smiling.

He smiled. He looked toward the door and straightened when he saw the teacher coming with the paint. She had two cans. She gave us the paint and brushes and walked off to inspect another group. Me and Derek each took a can an opened it. They were the same colors. Not wanting to waste paint, we decided to use the same can. I didn't know how to put the cover back on, so I put it on top of the bleacher so that nobody would spill it. I then knelt down beside Derek and grabbed a brush. We each took a half of the banner and started. After an hour, we had finished the initial paint job. It would take more decorating, but we needed to wait for the paint to dry. While Derek took the banner to the end of the room, I started cleaning up. When he got back, he helped. I stood up and stepped back. My back hit the bleacher and it shook. I heard a rumble above and looked up. The can of paint was shaking. I saw movement and looked over to my left. I saw Beth standing there. She smiled an evil smile and before I knew what she was up to, the can tipped over the side of the bleacher and fell. Unfortunately, Derek was standing underneath the can. He heard my gasp and looked up at me. He followed my eyes and stepped back. He wasn't fast enough, though, and the paint spattered over his sweatshirt. I started sputtering apologies. He held out a hand to silence.

"It's alright," he said. "It's just paint."

He pulled his sweatshirt and tugged it over his head. While he did, his t-shirt got caught and pulled up a little. My eyes widened and my mouth went dry as a stared at his rock hard chest. I could only see the bottom half, but that was enough to send my heart into hyper drive and turn my face the deepest red it had ever been. When his sweatshirt was off, his shirt went back down. My eyes wandered up his covered chest. Even with the thin cotton t-shirt, I could tell that Derek Souza just became eye candy for the entire girl population of the gym, me included. I looked at his arms and stood in awe as the muscles flowed smoothly as he folded the shirt. I knew I was staring and yet my eyes refused to look away. I could hear girls all around oohing and ahhing.

"Chloe?"

My head snapped up and met Derek's worried look. "Huh?"

"Are you alright?" he asked. "You're all flushed."

I dumbly nodded. I didn't trust my voice right now. I just learned that the guy I'm trying to get a date with has the body of a sex god. Why wouldn't I be alright?

I looked away and my mood went from good to bad in an instant. Amber Long was making her way over to us, that oh so familiar smile on her face. That same look she got when she picked a new boy toy. Her next prey: Derek Souza. As she walked over, she pulled her shirt down a little to expose more cleavage, not that it needed more exposure.

"Hi," Amber said, as seductively as she could. Derek turned to look at her. "I'm Amber. I don't believe we've met."

She held out her hand. Derek looked at it with a bored look on his face. He looked up her and said, "You're point?"

I snorted out a laugh and tried to hide it with a cough. Amber glared at me. She turned back to Derek, composing her.

"As you know, the dance is on Friday and I felt I should tell you that I'm free," she said, batting her eyelashes.

"I'm not surprised," he said, picking up his backpack.

It was getting harder to contain my laughter, especially with the look on Amber's face. Derek turned to me and said, "Want to get out of here?"

My heart skipped a beat and I said, "Sure."

As we walked out of the gym, I couldn't help looking back at Amber's face. She looked like somebody slapped her. Once we were out of sight, I burst out laughing and I couldn't stop. I kept laughing until I couldn't breathe and I was clutching at my sides in pain. When I was done, I gulped air, trying to get enough air to breathe. I looked up at Derek and I couldn't help the huge smile on my face.

"Finished?" he asked, an amused look on his face.

I nodded and said, "I think a congratulation is in order."

"For what?" he asked.

"For being the first guy in history to ever turn down Amber Long," I said, smiling.

He snorted and said, "The guys at this school really _are_ dumb."

He looked down at me and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well, I'm kinda hungry. Want to celebrate with ice cream?"

My heart fluttered and I said, "Okay."

He nodded and I followed. _Did he just ask me out? It wasn't exactly a date, but it _was _ice cream. That must count for something. _I followed him out of the school and we stopped.

"It's not that cold out," he said, "Want to walk or drive?"

I looked at the cars and remembered that Dad had driven me to school. That meant he had to pick me up.

"Maybe we should walk," I said. "I don't have my car. My ride will probably want to pick me up here."

"I could drive you home," he said.

I looked up at him. "I wouldn't want to make you go out of your way."

"I don't mind," he said. "I've got time."

"Alright then," I said.

I followed him to his car and got in. he pulled out of his parking space and out of the lot. In minutes we were at the ice cream place. He stopped the car and we got out. When we walked the door, he held the door open for me. We walked up to the counter and I looked at all the flavors. There were a lot to choose from. Derek stood behind me and looked over my shoulder. I would have moved over, but he was tall enough to see. I finally decided and told the guy what I wanted. Derek told the guy his order and walked over to the register. I grabbed the ice creams while he paid.

"I could have paid for myself," I said.

"I know," he said. "But I invited you, so I paid."

"But you're driving me home," I said.

"Chloe," he said, looking me in the eye, "It's fine."

My face turned red and I nodded, looking down. We found a table and sat down. I suddenly remembered what Beth had said. I was alone with Derek. I started with small talk, like she said. Turned out that he liked talking about his family. Once we had been talking for a while, I could see him relax. Most of his stories were about Simon. I could tell they were very close. I really didn't have any family stories, but he listened to what I had to say. When we were done, he drove me home. I watched him pull out of the lot and drive away. I walked up the stairs to our apartment and unlocked the door. When I walked through the kitchen, Dad looked up at me in surprise.

"How did you get home?" he asked.

"A friend gave me a ride," I said.

He nodded and looked back down at his work. I walked to my room and shut the door. I went over the bed and dropped onto it. I curled up in a ball and hugged my pillow, grinning stupidly. _Maybe today wasn't so bad after all._

**Look! An update! So what did you think? Long, no? 15 pages and 6,190 words. Took me 24 hours, but here it is. A lot of you said that this story was going to slow, so I tried to speed it up a bit. I know that this chapter had a lot in it and I'm sorry if it was hard to follow at all.**


	10. What Was I Thinking?

**Okay everyone, I'm sorry if this chapter blows. I wasn't planning on writing this yet. Sorry about the beginning of the chapter, I know it's a little slow.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**This is Derek's POV**

**The answer to the last riddle was a bubble. Because that question was a little vague, I also took air.**

_What is the first thing you do in the morning?_

_What was I thinking? _I lay in bed waiting until 9:30. I had already done all my homework, so now all I had to do was wait. Unfortunately for me, waiting left time with my thoughts. And those thoughts kept drifting to after school. I don't know why I did it. I wasn't even thinking. I just did it. I had questioned Simon for five years why he did it. He always said it came naturally. Without thought. And finally, after all this time, I was beginning to understand him. A guy who has had at least thirty girlfriends since he was twelve and he keeps going. I always wonder why he even bothers when he was just going to break up with them anyway. When asked about it, he just said he couldn't help it. When he liked a girl, he liked a girl.

I don't like Chloe. Not that way. That much I knew. However, the more I see of her, the less certain I am of that. I've never liked a girl before. I wasn't really sure how liking a girl worked. Before Chloe, I don't think I've said more than ten words to a girl, not counting Tori because she's my sister. But when I'm sitting next to her in class, I can't help but say hello. At first, I had chocked it all to being polite. I might hate the majority of the world's population, but that didn't mean I didn't know how to be polite. She sat next to me in two of my classes, so why not be even a little friendly. However, being polite didn't explain my want for conversation. The only people I have ever had a conversation with that lasted more than ten words were my family. But now I find myself talking to Chloe. Hell, I even joked with her. I wasn't only talking out of necessity; I was taking pleasure in our conversations. I didn't understand it, and I wasn't sure I wanted to. Liking Chloe was unacceptable. If I began to like her, I would start wanting more, like a relationship and I had seen enough of them from Tori and Simon to know that I didn't want a relationship. They were messy and complicated and in the end, they weren't worth it.

And yet there was today. It had started fine. I'd went to my first class, ignored everybody there. I had been late to math because I had to give Chloe her homework. I tried to find her before school, but with the chaos, I was unsuccessful. I wouldn't have risked being late, but I knew that she had math second hour. By the time I found her math class, the bell had already rung, so obviously couldn't go in and give it to her. Eventually, I settled for knocking on the door and giving it to her teacher. I made an excuse that I was tutoring her and hoped that she went with it.

When English started, by day started to change. Not only did I talk to Chloe, I laughed. It wasn't a big laugh, granted, but it was a laugh all the same. Of course, just when I began to relax, Beth had to interrupt. I wasn't positive that it was Beth, but from the look on Chloe' face, I'd say I wasn't far off. For some reason, I started another conversation with her during the hour. I'm not proud of it. I was fully capable of completing the assignment during the hour, but just glancing over at her paper, I stopped myself. So I helped her. By the end of the hour, I knew where our talking would go and I wasn't about to let it escalate, so I closed up again. I could tell by the look on her face that she didn't like it, but it was my way of dealing with the complicating emotions.

My next few hours had gone fine until French. Again I started a conversation. I had inquired about her day. She had looked frustrated and I was curious. And again, her answer amused me, so much that I even smiled. But even with the previous joking, nothing had prepared me for what happened once the final bell rang. I had expected to go to the committee, plan things out and leave. And like most things in life, it did not go my way. Instead, I had to stay longer to paint a stupid banner. I was hoping to leave after that, but Chloe, being who she is, was clumsy. Had I known that she had put the paint can atop the bleachers, I would have warned her. However, the only hint I had was a slight rocking noise and Chloe's slight look of terror. I should have been faster. I should have gotten away before it hit me. However, my concern for her had distracted me. I was too focused on her look of terror and the increase in her heart rate. By the time I knew about the paint, it was already too close to miss. I didn't particularly like the sweatshirt, so the fact that it got covered in paint didn't make me mad. My reaction to it, though, did irk me. I took it off, defeating the entire purpose of wearing it. I'm pretty sure that my t-shirt came up because I had heard the entire gym gasp and I could feel it when it came down. Also, the look on Chloe's face gave it away. I was confused by it. She was flushed and her breathing was slightly erratic. I wondered if it was a reaction of seeing what was under the sweatshirt. I'd seen that kind of look before. Mostly from Tori when she watched a movie where a guy took off his shirt. However, I had never gotten a reaction like it from anyone, so I brushed it off. There was no way she was blushing over me.

What happened next could easily have been avoided. When Amber came over, I could easily have just walked away. However, I stayed. I waited to hear what she said. Not so much because I was really interested, but because Chloe was fuming. My curiosity got the better of me and I listened. I, of course, in no way cared after Amber started to talk. I'd heard that tone before around Simon. So I brushed her off. I probably could have done it in a more 'polite' way, but I don't think she would have understood what I was trying to do. Instead, I insulted her. I was expecting to get told off for it by Chloe like Simon usually does, but she was only fighting to hold back a laugh. I took that as a good sign. I suggested to Chloe that we leave because I didn't think she could hold her laugh any longer. There was no motive other than that. But then I invited her to get ice cream. While everything else can be explained, that cannot. I really have absolutely no idea why I did it. It just came out. And what surprised me even more was that she agreed to it. I could explain that. She was probably just trying to get on my good side so I would ask her to the dance. _But then why did she ask me all those questions?_ She seemed genuinely interested in my life. _Why did I tell her anything?_ I don't know her. It's not like I care if she knows anything about me.

I sat up and held my head in my hands. Now I had a headache. Simon always said I think too much and I was starting to believe him. I stood up and my head started to spin a little. I put my foot on the bed to steady myself, cursing myself. It was probably a side effect of withholding my change. I really needed to change, but I didn't have time. _Three more days. _I just had to wait three more days and then I could change.

I was about to walk out of my room when my foot hit something. I swore and looked down. Some of my books were lying on the floor. _Simon. _I shook my head and leaned down to put them back on the shelf. When I was done, I noticed there was a significant gap between the books. Some of my books on decomposition were missing. I guessed that he took them for his project. I was fine with him using them, but it was annoying that he took them without asking. I got up and started to leave again when I noticed something else was missing. My book on necromancy. _Why the hell would he want that? He can't use that for his project. _My eyes widened as I realized something. He most likely shared those books with Chloe for her research. If he grabbed that book, she might have seen it. _Shit. _

I ran out of my room to Simon's. The door was ajar, so I let myself in. I looked around the mess for his backpack. I found it in the corner and walked to it. I opened it and looked inside. The books were in there. I grabbed them out and looked through them. Sure enough, _Nekromantia _was in there. I pulled it out. I didn't know if she had already seen it, but I wasn't about to risk it. I put the other books back in and zipped it shut. When I set it back against the wall, something crinkled in the front pocket. It was probably just some girl's number, but my curiosity got the better of me. I unzipped the pocket and reached my hand in, feeling for the paper. My hand made contact and I pulled it out. It was a schedule. I looked at the classes and saw that two of them were the same as mine. I looked at the name at the top and saw _Chloe Saunders. What does he have her schedule for? _I shoved it back in and left his room. I made a pit stop at my room to drop the book off and continued to the kitchen.

Tori was sitting at the table eating a salad. I just ignored her and walked over to the cabinet, where I pulled out the aspirin. I poured a few into my hands and walked over to the sink. While I poured myself a cup of water, Tori started talking behind me.

"So," she said. "Any news about the dance?"

"Besides the fact that I'm not going?" I said, not turning around. I downed the pills and the water and set the glass down.

"Don't have a date?" she said, arrogantly. I turned around to see a matching look on her face. I scowled and said,

"I know what you and Simon have been talking about. No matter how much you piss me off, I'm not going to ask Chloe to the dance," I said.

"Sure about that?" she said.

"I've lived with you for twelve years. You can't piss me off any more than you have in the past," I said, walking past her.

"We'll see," she said.

I continued into the living room and found Simon playing some video game. I sat down on the couch and watched. He was trying to kill an army of zombies. He had never passed this level before. I had, but I wasn't about to tell him how. We had a competition going and so far I was winning. I watched him for a few more minutes. He looked like he was going to win. He had one more zombie left and he just needed one more shot. When he got his gun aimed, I leaned up behind him and said, "Shoot."

Simon, not knowing I was there, yelped and jerked the controller. The gun fired over the zombie and the zombie got him. Once his breathing was under control, he turned to me, glaring.

"Dude, what the hell?" he yelled.

I had a hard time answering him through my laughter. Tori came in to see what all the commotion was about. Seeing Simon's angry face, she looked at the TV screen.

"You're supposed to kill the zombies, moron," she said, "not the other way around."

"I would have if someone hadn't surprised me," he said, giving me a pointed glare.

"Just because you can't shoot straight doesn't mean you have to blame other people," she said.

He swore and turned back to the TV. Ignoring Tori, he restarted the level. She left after a minute and he relaxed when her footsteps weren't audible anymore. I got comfortable again and watched him play, this time without the interruptions. Though he never passed that level, he spent the next few hours trying. By the time we had to leave, he had successfully died 46 times. Simon went out first, but I stayed behind to grab a few things. Just as I was about to walk through the door, Tori came up behind me. She shoved something in my hand and said, "You might need this." She then walked away. I didn't know what to make of it, so I shoved the item in my pocket without looking at it.

We didn't talk on our way to the school. I was too focused on replaying the plan over in my head, making sure there weren't any flaws. Simon must have noticed the tension because his mouth stayed shut. It didn't take us long to get there. When we did, it was 9:15. We were supposed to meet Beth at 9:30, so we waited in the car for a little while.

"What did you bring," Simon said, quietly.

I reached down on the floor and brought up a bag. I handed it to Simon. He accepted it and looked inside. Looking confused, he said, "You brought a bag to hold a flashlight?"

"The flashlight is for you. The bag is to hold anything we may find," I said.

"Oh," he said, looking slightly embarrassed. "That makes sense, I guess."

I rolled my eyes and looked at the time. 9:25. Close enough. I opened my door and got out. Simon followed suit and got out. We walked a little ways until we could see the front door. We stopped behind a bush. I felt something tug at my jacket and I looked over. Seeing nothing, I assumed it was Beth.

"You ready?" I asked, addressing both of them. Simon nodded and Beth pulled at my jacket again. "Alright, Beth, you're up. I want you to go to the office and find the controls for the cameras. It should be behind the secretary's desk. Don't walk through the front door. That window is the principal's office. Go through there. Once you shut off the camera, come back. You got all that?"

She tugged twice and let go of my jacket. I assumed that she had left. We didn't have to wait long. After a few minutes, she tugged at my jacket again.

"Alright," I said. "Stay close to me."

I walked slowly, assessing my surroundings with every step. Once I was sure that nobody was going to jump out of the bushes, we got to the front door and I pulled out the key. I unlocked the door and cringed at the slight squeak as the door opened. I held it open for them to walk through and then I walked through the second door. Simon stayed behind me as I walked down the hall, listening. I didn't know where Beth was but I hoped she had stayed with us just in case. At every corner, I stopped and listened, then peeked around. The halls were empty. Once we got to the office, I was tense. I hadn't heard anything, but I felt like we weren't alone. I ushered Simon into the office and I looked around.

"Where first?" Simon whispered as quiet as he could.

"You start in the principal's office," I said. "Look though the drawers and pull anything that looks suspicious. We'll make copies."

He nodded and went in. I would have gone in myself, but that would have left Simon out here. If anyone came in, I wanted to be the first one they'd see. I started by going through the secretary's desk. The drawers were empty except for a few pens and a stapler. I sat down in the chair and turned on the computer. While I waited for it to load, I listened for Simon. I could hear him rustling through papers. I could hear him pulling a few. Once the computer was loaded, I waited for a password screen to open, but it never did. Instead, it went straight to the desktop. _Must be because it's a school computer._ I clicked on the files. Nothing. The memory was empty. I searched through the programs, but there were only the default programs. _Why have a computer but not use it?_

I shut down the computer and went to check on Simon.

"Anything?" he asked.

"No," I said. "What do you have?"

"Most of this stuff is like school policies but I found a few odd ones. I don't really know what they are, but I figured you'd want to see them. I was about to check the computer," he explained.

I nodded. He moved over and I sat down in the chair. For the second time, I started up the computer. This time, however, it was protected by a password. I scowled at the screen and leaned back it the chair.

"What now?" Simon whispered. He was answered by the keys typing on their own. When enter was hit, it accepted the password. I quietly thanked Beth and leaned forward. This one was not empty. Like Simon had said, a lot of the stuff was school policies and stuff like that. However, a few caught my eye. I clicked on one and a page popped up. It was a list of all the students and their info: name, age, and grade. Stuff like that. However, there was something else under each name. There was supernatural information. _Now we're getting somewhere._

"That's way too many to print," Simon said. I nodded in agreement. I suddenly remembered the object Tori gave me. I reached into my pocket and pulled it out. It was a USB drive. I didn't know how she knew, but right now I didn't care. I popped it into the slot and started loading things onto it.

"Where did you get that?" Simon asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I said. I waited until it was loaded and was about to pull it out when I froze. I could swear I heard a footstep. I slowly got up and looked to the window. I quietly walked over and unlatched the window, praying it wouldn't make too much noise. Simon gave me a WTF look and was about to speak when I covered his mouth with my hand. He saw me looking toward the door and his eyes widened. He looked as far over as he could and looked back at me. I carefully picked up the papers and put them in the bag. I pulled out the USB drive and put it in my pocket. I motioned for Simon to go to the window. He did, but his shoe squeaked. We both froze and I listened. Whoever was there heard and was walking toward the office. Not caring if we made noise, I climbed out of the window and helped Simon through. As he went through, I heard something hit the floor, but my brain didn't register. We hightailed it out of there toward the car. When we got to it, I stopped and listened. I could hear somebody in the office. The window rattled as they leaned out. A breeze blew past the window and towards us. My heart started thumping when I breathed in the scent. Once they were out of the office, we got in the car and started home. I didn't know who they were, but I did know something. He was a werewolf.

**Okay, so what do you think? I know it's shorter than the last one, but that one took a lot out of me. Anyway, hoped you liked it. **


	11. We Have A Problem

**First, I want to say sorry. I didn't realize how long it had been since I updated. I had some difficulty deciding whose POV I was going to write this in, but I finally settled on Derek. Just a little side note, some of you are going to hate me after this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers **

**The answer to the last riddle was wake up. I also accepted open your eyes for 10 points. This is the last riddle of the round, so don't forget to make a guess and see if you can get a preview. **

_What cannot be seen but only heard, and what will not speak unless it is spoken to?_

Saying I was in a bad mood would be an understatement. Saying I wasn't happy would be an understatement. Saying I was downright pissed, however, is not an understatement. After risking both Simon's and my hides, all we managed to get were a bunch of encoded documents. I don't know how, but apparently after they were transported onto the USB drive, all the documents became encoded and unusable until they were un-encoded. That pissed me off in itself, but that wasn't all. I gave the drive to Tori to see what she could do with it and apparently it would take her at least a week, which is a week too long.

Waking up the next morning, I was still as pissed. I wasn't looking forward to school. I really couldn't take anything else. I was on the brink of a change right now and I couldn't risk losing control. Simon wasn't any better. He had maybe one serious bad mood a year and this was it. He even snapped at Tori when she sarcastically commented on a job well done. Not that I really blame him. The whole night was a complete waste of time. The only accomplishment was the papers that Simon had managed to grab, though they weren't much help. They were basically a bunch of names that I didn't recognize and I didn't understand the connection. I'd have to study them more later.

I made Tori drive to school, not that she complained. I never let any of them drive my car, so their only option was Dad's, but after denting the passenger door, Simon wasn't allowed to. Tori was only allowed under certain circumstances. So when I handed Tori the keys, she automatically ran to the driver's seat before I could change my mind. I didn't really trust her with my car, but I was in no condition to be driving. Road rage isn't good for an already pissed off werewolf.

Once we got to school, Tori handed me my keys and walked off with Simon following her, leaving me to myself. I took a deep breath and started toward the door. If I just ignored everyone, I might be able to make it through the day without changing. I would only talk when absolutely necessary. That might limit the chance of me snapping at someone.

Walking to my locker, I unlocked it and started filling my bag with my stuff. I heard giggling to my right and I looked over. A group of girls were standing in front of the girl's bathroom. I had expected some of the members of the basketball team standing close to them, but to my confusion, there were none. I was more surprised, though when I figured out what they were giggling about. They were staring at me. _What the hell? _I turned back to my locker and tried to ignore them. _Why the hell are they giggling at me? _ I took one last look and figured out why. In the middle of the group was a girl I recognized from the dance committee, which meant the she had seen what was under my sweatshirt. I really hoped that she didn't have that big of a mouth. The last thing I needed was a fan club.

I shut my locker and walked past them on my way to government. I scowled when I heard them still giggling. When I finally got to class, my mood had only worsened. I had passed at least three other groups who started at me when I walked past them. Sitting down in my chair, I leaned back and crossed my arms. As the universal sign of 'leave me alone' I hoped people got the message. From the corner of my eye, I saw Jake and Simon walk in. They stopped whatever they were talking about as soon as they saw me. I assumed it was about the dance. They sat down and Jake said,

"Who pissed in your cheerios?"

"Girls who can't keep their mouths shut," I said.

"The whole abs thing?" he said.

"What abs thing?" Simon asked.

"There's a rumor travelling around the girls that he has abs as hard as bricks," Jake said.

I groaned and leaned my head back. It was worse than I thought.

"Seriously?" Simon said. "How did that rumor start?"

"I'm not sure who started it, but apparently at least twenty girls saw his abs yesterday," Jake said.

Simon looked at me expectantly. I sighed and said, "Chloe spilled paint on me yesterday. When I took off my sweatshirt, my shirt rode up. It's not like I did it on purpose."

"Whatever you say," Simon said.

I fixed him with a look and said, "I have a pretty good idea who started the rumor."

"Who?" he asked.

"Amber," I said.

"Amber Long?" Jake asked.

"Yeah," I said. "She must have gotten a good view because she came over and said that she just_ had_ to tell me she was single."

"She hit on you?" Simon asked, fighting a laugh. "What did you say?"

"What do you think I said?" I answered.

"You said no?" he asked.

"Technically, no," I said. "I actually insulted her and left with Chloe."

"Which explains the next rumor," Jake said.

"What rumor?" I asked.

"Brady told me that he heard you were dating Chloe," he said.

I groaned and let my head fall back, saying, "I hate this school."

"Now you have no excuse for not asking her to the dance," Simon said, rather excitedly.

"For the last time, I am not asking Chloe to the dance," I said.

"Looks like I'm gonna win," Jake said, puffing out his chest.

I snorted and said, "Tori hates you. Why the hell would she go out with you?"

"Because I will dazzle her with my charm," he said, smiling.

"Not if you want to win Tori over. She hates that," I said.

"Okay, why don't you tell me about her?" he suggested.

"You want me to give you a list of ways to get Tori to go out with you?" I said. An idea hit me and I said, "Okay."

"What?" Simon said, surprised.

"Seriously?" Jake asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Sweet," he said.

"Why are you giving him tips?" Simon asked.

"If Tori says yes, Jake wins and you'll stop bugging me about asking Chloe," I said, quite proud with myself.

"Traitor," Simon said as the teacher walked in. I just ignored him and focused my attention on what Mr. Carnahan was saying. I almost laughed out loud when I heard what we were learning: strategies of the development of the Constitution.

I spent math making a list for Jake. I was already done with my homework, so Mr. Griggs didn't care what I did. He just gave me the homework packet for next week and left me alone. I'd have it done by tomorrow anyway, so I just stuffed it in my bag. So far, the list was half a page long. I tried to put everything I could that would get her to say yes. I really wanted Simon to stop bugging me.

Once math was done, I went back to my locker to empty my bag. This time, the same group of girls was closer. They were right across the hall and their giggling was giving me a headache. My temper, which had started to cool off, returned. It didn't help that I saw one of them staring at my butt. I growled lowly and shut my door. It took everything not to put a dent in it. My face set in a scowl, I set off down the hall toward English. I looked over my shoulder to see them following me. _What the hell is wrong with them?_

I walked into English and the first thing I saw was Chloe sitting in her spot. Her face was set in concentration as she looked down. Her hair was falling in her face, but she didn't seem to notice. As I walked down the aisle, I watched her determined face. I also noticed what she was wearing. It was a step above what she usually wore, but not as bad as when she looked like a cheerleader. Her hair was slightly curled, held together in a pony with that stubborn lock determined to stay in her face. Her shirt was low cut, but not enough to see anything. I wasn't going to admit it to Simon, but she was actually pretty. When I got to my seat, I could see that her legs were crossed as she bent over a paper. I sat down and silently watched her for a little bit. She didn't seem to notice me. I looked at the paper to see what she was so focused on. It was a drawing of skull. Every so often, she would get frustrated and erase something. Every time she did, I watched her face. Her lips would pinch together and her nose flared a little. I hated to admit it, but it was kind of cute.

"What's that for?" I asked.

She yelped and jumped, her chair tipping back. Before she could fall, I caught her chair, her hand grabbing my arm. She kept her grip on my arm as she calmed down. I could feel her heart racing. Once it had slowed and her breathing was back to normal, she looked up at me. I could hear whispers around the classroom discussing our 'dating status.' Chloe quickly let go of my arm and looked down.

"You didn't answer my question," I said.

"What question?" she said, not looking at me.

"What's that for?" I asked again.

"Nothing," she said, shoving it in her folder. She still wouldn't look at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked, confused. _Is she mad at me?_

"Why wouldn't I be?" she said, looking forward.

"I don't know," I said. "You seem…angry."

"I'm not," she said, still not looking at me.

Before I could question her further, Ms. Wallus walked in, followed by the new principal. I involuntarily tensed, remembering where I was last night. I kept my face emotionless as he began to talk.

"Good morning, everyone," he said. "For all of you who aren't aware, my name is Marcel Davidoff and I am your new principal. I wish I could start my introduction with good news, but I cannot. It seems we had a break in last night. Unfortunately, the cameras didn't catch the event, but something was left behind."

If I wasn't tense before, I was after he held up the item. It was something I saw almost every day. It was Simon's mini colored pencil bag. He carried it with him everywhere. I remembered last night when I heard something drop. I had forgotten about it. _Shit._

"I'm sorry to say that until we know who did it, the dance will be cancelled," he said.

The entire class roared in protest. I saw Chloe in the corner of my eye. She leaned forward and her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Her eyes were focused on the pencil case. Her eyes darted to me, but I refused to look at her. _She recognized it. _

"If anyone has any information, please come see me in my office," he said. With that, he turned and left the room. The class continued to protest. Ms. Wallus couldn't get them to shut up, so she just put in earplugs and started reading. I would have laughed at how unteacherly it was, but I was a little preoccupied. The sound of the yelling was drowned out by my racing heart and the blood rushing in my ears. _This is bad. This is very bad. If somebody recognizes it, there was no way they were letting us off easy. _

I spent the hour staring at my book. I wasn't reading it. I was thinking. I really hoped that nobody recognized it. We haven't been here that long, so what are the odds that somebody will. It wasn't like he had a reason to take it out. They were painting in art.

By the time the bell rang, I was practically bouncing in my seat to leave. Once it did, I shot from my seat and out the door. I ignored my new entourage of giggling girls and focused on finding Simon. I caught his scent and followed it, finding him at his locker. He was putting his bag in his locker. I walked up to him just as he was shutting it.

"Hey, bro," he said. "What's up?"

"We have a problem," I said.

"What kind of problem?" he asked.

I looked around and looked back at him. "Can you skip lunch today?"

"Sure," he said. "Not very hungry anyway."

"Meet me in the back of the library in five minutes," I said.

"Okay," he said. "I've gotta tell Jake I'll be skipping."

I nodded at watched as he walked off toward the cafeteria. I turned around and started to make my way to the library. I had to duck behind walls a few times to avoid those damn girls, but I finally made it. I sat down at a table and waited. After a few minutes, Simon showed up. He sat down across from me.

"Alright," he said. "So what's the problem?"

"Did you hear about the dance being cancelled?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said, "but I didn't hear why."

"They know about the break in," I said, quietly. "And they have proof."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You dropped something when you went thought he window," I said. "Your pencils."

His eyes widened and he said, "Oh shit. That's what fell."

"Yeah," I said, "The new principal showed up in my English class and presented it, asking if anyone recognized it. Did you show it to anyone?"

"I don't think so," he said.

"Think really hard," I said. "We can't risk anything."

He thought for a second before, "I think I took them out in art once. Ms. Tuppern commented on them, but I can't remember if it was those ones or my bigger set."

"Let's hope it was the bigger ones," I said.

He was about to say something when I shushed him. I thought I heard something. It sounded like the rustling of fabric. I slowly got up and started walking toward the aisle closest to us. I quickly looked on the other side, but I didn't see anything. I did however, smell someone. Chloe.

"What is it?" Simon asked.

"Chloe heard," I said.

"She won't tell, will she?" he asked, walking up behind me. "I mean, why would she get us in trouble?"

"I think she's mad at me," I said, turning around.

"Why?" he asked.

"She wouldn't look at me in English and I think she was ignoring me," I said.

"What did you do?" he asked.

"That's just it," I said. "I have no idea. I don't think I did anything."

"Did you say anything to her yesterday?" he asked.

"I don't think so," I said.

"Maybe she's just in a bad mood," he said.

"I guess," I said, turning back to look down the aisle.

"So, what are we going to do about the pencils?" he asked.

"Act like nothing happened," I said. "If anyone asks, you've never seen them before."

He nodded as the bell rang. We walked out of the library together and then went our separate ways.

**Chloe's POV**

"I can't believe he cancelled the dance," Beth said. "I mean, who does he think he is?"

"The principal?" I said.

"Like that gives him the right," she said, pacing the girls' bathroom.

I didn't bother arguing. She had been ranting for ten minutes straight and I really didn't think I could stop her. I had tried pointing out that I was missing lunch but apparently the dance was more important than my eating. She'd been complaining since Mr. Davidoff made the announcement. It made concentrating on my English very hard, not that I could have concentrated anyway. I was too focused on another critical situation. When Mr. Davidoff had said that there was a break-in, it really didn't faze me. Whoever broke in didn't cause any great damage or we would have heard about beforehand. However, when he held up the colored pencils, my attention was snared. They were Simon's. I had seen them when he was digging the books out of his bag. Of course, the logical part of my brain was telling me that anyone can have the same colored pencils, but I had seen Derek's face and though he was wearing his emotionless mask, I could plainly see how tense he was. Though I didn't want to believe they would break into the school, I couldn't deny that Derek looked guilty.

I hopped down from the sink I was sitting on and caught Beth's attention. She stopped talking and gave me a confused look.

"I have to talk to Derek," I said.

"Why?" she said. "I really don't think he'll help with the petition."

"Petition?" I asked. _What was she talking about?_

"The petition to get the dance back? Haven't you been listening to a thing I said?" she said, her hands going to her hips.

"Honestly no," I said. "Didn't you see what Mr. Davidoff was holding?"

"Why would I care about what he was holding? The dance was cancelled!" she practically shouted. "This is horrible!"

"Will you calm down?" I said. "It's not the end of the world."

"Of course _you _would say that," she said, "You were against this from the start."

"Which is why I'm not freaking out about it and can focus on the real problem," I said.

"Which is?" she said.

"Simon and Derek broke into the school last night," I explained.

Beth wouldn't meet my eye as she said, "What makes you think that?"

"Mr. Davidoff has Simon's colored pencils," I said.

"They could be anybody's colored pencils," she said, "I mean, everybody has colored pencils."

"But these were Simon's. I saw them the other day," I argued.

"Maybe you're just confused," she said.

"Why are you so against this?" I asked.

"I just think we should think of all possibilities, that's all," she said, rather defensively.

"Well I'm going to talk to Derek," I said, starting to walk to the door.

Beth jumped in front of me, holding up her hands and said, "Maybe you should wait until you know more. If you go in too early, he might close up."

I sighed and said, "I guess you're right. But I still need to talk to him."

"What for?" she said.

"I need to apologize for acting like such a bitch this morning," I said.

"You? A bitch?" she said. "What did he do?"

"Nothing," I said, "I was mad and I took it out on him. I guess I was sick of being asked how long I've been dating Derek and if I had a picture of his abs. I've been hearing it all morning."

Beth looked stricken and said, "You've been dating Derek and you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't tell you because I am NOT dating Derek!" I said, walking around Beth and out of the bathroom. I saw Beth walk up to my side, but she didn't say anything. She looked a little worried, actually. I would have asked her what was wrong, but I didn't want to be caught talking to myself in the middle of the hallway. I also wanted to talk to her about the break-in. She knew something. I don't know what, but I'm sure she does.

I walked into the library and looked around for Derek. I wasn't positive where he would be, but I knew he wasn't in the cafeteria. I saw him walking out of the library after lunch last week, but I hadn't though anything about it. I also saw him walk out of it earlier this week. Once was a coincidence. Twice meant something. I didn't see him in the front seats, so I went further back. I made it all the way to the back before I found him. He wasn't alone, so I ducked behind the bookcase and listened. He was talking to Simon.

"You dropped something when you went thought he window," Derek said. "Your pencils."

"Oh shit. That's what fell," Simon answered. _So they did break in._

"Yeah," Derek said, "The new principal showed up in my English class and presented it, asking if anyone recognized it. Did you show it to anyone?"

"I don't think so," Simon said.

"Think really hard," Derek said. "We can't risk anything."

There was a pause before Simon answered. "I think I took them out in art once. Ms. Tuppern commented on them, but I can't remember if it was those ones or my bigger set."

"Let's hope it was the bigger ones," Derek said.

I didn't wait to hear anything more. I could hardly believe what I heard. I mean, I had thought it might be true, but hearing it from Derek's mouth put me into shock. _They broke into the school last night. What reason did they have for that? Were they trying to steal something?_ I wasn't left much time to think. The bell rang, announcing the end of lunch. My stomach protested at missing it, but I couldn't do anything about it so I just headed to my locker. However, when I turned the corner, I saw Tori at her's. _Did she break in with them_? I shook my head and continued on.

Lucky for me, Tori didn't say anything to me. She just ignored me as I grabbed my stuff and shut my locker door. I turned to see a group of girls walking eagerly in our direction. They were looking at me. When they noticed Tori, they started walking faster, more eager. I glanced over at Tori, who had just turned around. She looked instantly pissed and the lead girl seemed to stop in her tracks. Literally. It was only for an instant, but the way her smile was plastered on her face for that instant wasn't normal. I looked over at Tori in confusion, but she was already walking away. I hurried after her, not wanting to be stuck in the middle of another group of girls begging me for a picture of Derek.

When I walked into the room, I froze. Simon was already sitting at his seat. _How am I supposed to act around him?_ I took a deep breath and started walking toward him. I had to stop halfway. I was too tense. I'd probably get looks if it looks like I'm constipated. I did get looks, though, from most of the girls and, surprisingly, from some of the guys. Simon saw me and smiled. It wasn't his normal smile, though. It was a little strained. I smiled back and he relaxed. When I sat down, he started talking.

"So, I had an idea," he said.

"Oh no," I said, "That's bad. You know you're not supposed to be thinking. Doctors orders. You don't want your head to explode, do you?"

He full on grinned and said, "Well, this idea might make Derek explode if that makes up for it."

My smile faltered and I said, "Literally explode or metaphorically? Cause, something tells me you're capable of it."

He looked fake worried and he said, "They said nobody would find out about that. What am I gonna do? I'll have to flee the country."

I laid my hand on his arm and said, "Don't worry. I'll buy you a sleeping bag and a box of matches. You can camp out in a cave somewhere."

"Think I can get cable?" he asked.

"You'll probably have to choose between cable and running water," I said.

"I choose cable," he said, grinning.

"So, do I get to hear this idea of yours?" I asked.

"Not yet," he said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Cause I have to get Derek to agree and that might take a few days," he said.

I couldn't help but grin back. I thought it would be awkward around Simon, but I couldn't help but joke around with him. He was comfortable to be around. Even with the fact that his extracurricular activities involved breaking into the school in the middle of the night, he didn't feel dangerous. He reminded me of Jake. They both were comfortable to be around, they both made me laugh, and they both seemed almost brotherly. If I could have a brother, I'd want him to be just like Simon.

We spent the remainder of the class continuing our previous day's talk of dead things. I told him about the whole snow thing and he said he'd send Derek to somebody's backyard. When I asked him why, he said because people bury things in their backyard. I laughed at that and asked what happened when they got him digging and he said run like hell. He also proposed knocking on their door and explaining it was for a good cause. In the end, we went with option one. As good as the cause was, I don't think the little old lady down the road would appreciate it if we dug up Fluffy.

When I got to French, the tension of my knowing about Derek and Simon returned. Apparently Derek was feeling it too because he wouldn't look at me. I kept glancing his way but he kept his eyes straight ahead. I couldn't help but feel a little hurt by his ignoring me. I thought he'd say hi at least. _Maybe he's regretting taking me for ice cream. Was I really that bad of company? Or maybe he's mad at me for being a bitch this morning. I still hadn't apologized to him. Hopefully that was it. I didn't want to think that the ice cream was for nothing. I had fun. I really liked listening to him tell stories. Oh no. was that it? Was he mad that he had to do all the talking? I'm such an idiot. The guy buys me an ice cream and I make him talk the entire time? No wonder he's mad at me._

I groaned and laid my head on the desk. I felt something poke me in the face. I looked to my right and saw Melissa Barnes looking away. I looked down and saw a note lying on my desk. Picking it up, I opened it. I instantly wished I didn't. It was her email address telling me to send her a picture of Derek. I crumbled the paper and slammed it on my desk. I saw Derek finally look at from the corner of my eye. I looked down at the paper and over to Melissa and I saw him scowl. Apparently I wasn't the only one being pestered.

After French, I went to theatre, but I didn't really pay attention. For some reason we were doing trust exercises and let's just say that full attention is required. I spent the rest of the hour apologizing to Liz for dropping her. She accepted it immediately, but I just felt so bad about it. Jake, being to the gentleman he was, spent the rest of the hour laughing about it.

After theatre, I headed toward Ms. Wallus's room. I didn't have dance committee today and I wanted to know if I would have to tomorrow. I wasn't sure if we still had to plan the dance that was cancelled. When I got to her room, I heard her and a few other teachers talking so I waited outside the room. From what I could hear, she was talking to Mr. Davidoff, Mr. Drake, and Ms. Tuppern. I wasn't really paying attention to their conversation until I heard Ms. Tuppern mention Simon's colored pencils.

"You and I both know, Marcel, that those boys are responsible for it," she said. "The pencils are proof. Why don't you just expel them?"

"You know I can't expel them," he said. "They are too valuable. And besides, I'm sure he isn't the only one with colored pencils." _Stupid Beth._

"But he is the only one with _those_ pencils. He showed them to me," she said.

"They can't be one a kind," Mr. Drake said. "I'm sure many kids bought the same ones. And besides, the boys had no reason to break into school." _Go Mr. Drake._

"I say you at least suspend them," Ms. Tuppern said.

"You can't do that!" I shouted, bursting in.

They all turned to me and I felt my face turn beet red.

"Can't do what?" Ms. Wallus asked.

"U-um, s-suspend them," I stuttered.

"And why not?" Ms. Tuppern asked, crossing her arms.

"Because they were home last night," I said, trying to think of an excuse.

"And how exactly do you know that?" Ms. Wallus asked.

"Because I was there," I blurted out.

"Why would you be there?" Ms. Tuppern asked.

"We were working on our project for science," I said, looking at Mr. Drake. "We really didn't understand it so Derek was helping us."

Mr. Davidoff nodded and said, "Well, I think that's enough proof."

I sighed in relief. Ms. Tuppern looked down right pissed. Ms. Wallus looked annoyed but she didn't say anything. What most surprised me was Mr. Drake. He was smiling at me. An almost fatherly smile of approval. I had a feeling he knew I was lying, but it seemed like he was glad that I did. They all got up and started leaving, except for Ms. Wallus of course because this was her classroom. When Ms. Tuppern passed me, she was trying not to glare. Mr. Davidoff just nodded and walked past. Mr. Drake was smiling and gave me a thumbs up when nobody was looking. I walked up to Ms. Wallus's desk and asked, "Do we still have dance committee?"

She looked up and said, "Yes, I suppose we should still hold it in case anything happens. The gym probably won't be fully decorated on Friday, but everything can still be prepared."

I nodded and left. Once I got outside the room, I realized what I had just done. I had lied to three teachers and a principal. One of those teachers really didn't count because he seemed to approve, but still. If they found out, I was in serious trouble. I started walking toward the front doors and parking lot when a thought hit me. _What did they mean Derek and Simon were too valuable?_


	12. I Have A Favor

**Okay, so I have an excuse for the delay. Not a very good one, but it's an excuse. School started for me a few weeks ago and I have had a really hard time getting time to do anything but homework. Well, I finally found some time and as a result, you guys get a new chapter. I have a few things to cover first, though. **

**Just a reminder, a few of you still have your previews. You don't have to use them now, but just remember you have it.**

**When I post the next chapter, a lot of you are going to be really confused. There will be fewer chapters. Don't worry, I'm not deleting chapters. I'm condensing them. **

**If anybody has any questions for this story, I'd like to hear them. Also, if there is anything you guys would like to see, I can't promise I'll use your ideas but I'll see what I can do. **

**The answer to the last riddle was eye. (According to the new and improved chapter, it was echo, but I'm going off what it was before I changed it.)**

_What grows smaller the more you take away?_

**Derek's POV**

_I hate this school. Why did Dad have to pick this school?_ My prolonged change was definitely taking its toll. Not only was I frustrated, my temper was surfacing. I snapped at the guy who sits next to me in criminology. He was texting and I could hear every click, so I hissed at him to knock it off. And then, on my way to my locker, I was being followed by the same group of girls as before and I turned around and almost growled. They still didn't get the message. Which brings me back to my original point. _I hate this school._ If it would have been any other school, I wouldn't have been forced onto the dance committee and I wouldn't have made friends with a short, blond necromancer. And as a result of making friends of a certain necromancer, I got paint spilled on me and now the entire school knows what's under my shirt. Now girls are following me around everywhere. I'm not used to this kind of attention. I'm not Simon. I hate being the center of attention.

Standing at my locker, I tried to ignore the giggling around the corner. _Don't they ever go away?_ I was trying to stall as long as I could because as soon as I shut my locker door, they would follow me to my car. Unfortunately, I was done loading my bag and had nothing else to stall with. Sighing, I closed my locker and hefted my bag onto my shoulder. As soon as I turned around, however, I was stopped again. I was face to face with Mr. Davidoff, Ms. Tuppern, and some man I didn't know.

"Hello, Mr. Souza, we haven't been formally introduced," Mr. Davidoff said. "I'm Mr. Davidoff, your new principal."

"I know," I said, "You were in my English class."  
"Was I?" he asked, obviously lying, "Well, I was in a lot of classes today, I must have forgotten. How _are_ your classes going? I understand that you're new here."

"They're fine," I said, wanting this conversation to end. He was too close for comfort and I could smell his cheap cologne.

"Well, I am glad to hear that," he said, "I know how hard it can be to start at a new school. I trust by now you have a nice group of friends."

"Sure," I said. In truth, there was only Chloe, but I wasn't about to admit that to this guy. He'd probably make me join _another_ after school activity.

"I also heard that you are on the dance committee," he said, faking enthusiasm. "Now, that is a great way to show how committed you are to your school. And in your first week, too. I'm impressed Mr. Souza."

I really didn't know how to respond to that without calling him a moron, so I remained silent. Fortunately for me, he continued speaking.

"I'm sure after all your hard work in planning the dance, you are disappointed about what has happened," he said. _And here's the bait._ "I know you, like everybody else would like me to allow the dance to go on as planned, but unfortunately, I can't let what has happened go unpunished. However, if anybody were to know something, it just might tempt me to make an announcement."

He was baiting me. He knew and he was trying to get me to spill. What he didn't know, however, was that I didn't give a rat's ass about the dance. I was happy it was cancelled. Now Simon might stop bugging me.

"I don't know anything," I lied. I readjusted my bag on my shoulder and said, "If it's alright, I have an appointment to make."

"Of course," he said, gesturing I could go. I nodded and started to pass him. Just as my back turned, he said, "If you do hear anything, anything at all, feel free to stop by my office."

I grunted an answer and continued on. After about ten feet, I slowed down and focused my hearing behind me.

"Why did you just let him walk away?" Ms. Tuppern was saying. "Why didn't you ask him about last night?"

"I didn't want to rush him," Mr. Davidoff said. "If I'm going to get him to trust me, I can't have him think that I suspect him."

"Why would you want him to trust you?" she said. "What good would that do?"

"He could be a powerful asset," he said.

I almost snorted a laugh, but held back at the last second. _Powerful asset my ass._ There was no way I was going to do anything for that guy. For one thing, I just met the guy. For another, he was working with Diane Enright. There was no way he _wasn't _up to something with her looking over his shoulder, whispering in his ear. I might not know what they're planning, but I know that somehow we were all involved.

On my way out of the school, I had to walk through the hallway that went past the gym. As I passed the open doors, I saw Simon standing with Jake and a bunch of other basketball players. He had practice until 5:00, so I didn't have to drive him home. I didn't have to drive Tori home either because she had her computer club until 4:30. I was just glad Dad got off work around that time so I didn't have to come all the way back to the school to pick them up.

Just as I was about to walk through the doors to the parking lot, a scent flooded my nostrils. It was like very faint vanilla, though strong enough to reach me. I stopped and turned around just in time to see a certain blond coming around the corner with a worried look on her face. I was debating asking her what was wrong and leaving when she looked up. As her eyes met mine, her face flooded red and her eyes showed her surprise. I could tell by the instant change, though, that it was a rather unwanted surprise. _What did I do?_ Not that I would be surprised if I _had_ done something. I always seem to do something to piss someone off.

I was about to turn around and leave, when she started walking directly toward me, a determined pace. From that determined look, I wasn't so sure if it was a good thing that she wanted to talk to me.

"Hi," she said when she finally got to me. She seemed kind of nervous.

"Hey," I said.

"I, um, wanted to apologize," she said, looking down.

"For what?" I asked. _What did _she _do?_

"For how I acted this morning in English," she answered.

"So, you weren't mad at me?" I asked.

"No!" she said quickly, looking up sharply. When she realized she had done, she bit her lip and looked away in embarrassment. "No. I was in a bad mood and I took it out on you. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I'm used to people being pissed at me. The fact that it wasn't me that you were mad at is new," I said. "So… what _were_ you mad about?"

"Just some stuff," she mumbled.

"Would that stuff have anything to do with the note in French?" I asked.

"Maybe," she mumbled, lower.

"I'm guessing you've heard the rumors, then," I said, sighing.

"A few," she said. "I've been asked a lot today if I had a picture of you."

"Why the hell would people want to know that?" I asked, confused.

"Not people, girls. A lot of girls. A lot of cheerleaders. And it wasn't just a picture. It was sort of a specific picture," she said, not meeting my eye. When I caught her meaning, I scowled.

"I've been followed all day by the same group of girls," I confessed. She looked up, a questioning look on her face. "The leader of the pack was in the gym yesterday. She seemed to be recruiting. Every time I saw them, there seemed to be more. It was kind of like being followed by a pack of animals waiting to ambush."

She laughed at that, the first smile I'd seen from her all day. When she finished, she offered me a shy smile and said, "Well, at least it's not worse."

"How could it be?" I asked. "I'm being followed. You're getting bugged. What could be worse?"

"Well, at least they're only asking for pictures of your abs. I mean, they could be asking for something else entirely," she suggested.

"You know, they probably heard you and how they're going to bug you even more," I said.

"Well, then I'll just have to grin and bear it," she said, hiking her bag higher on her shoulder. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah," I said. "Guess so."

She smiled and walked around me into the parking lot. I watched her get into her car and drive off before I did so myself.

…,,,…

I could hear every tick of the clock as I tried to do my French homework. I didn't really understand what I was doing. I usually did, but I was distracted today when we were learning it. Coincidently, it was the same thing that's been distracting me all week. The same thing that had been distracting me since I walked into English last week and saw her wearing those sweats. It wasn't the most flattering outfit she could have chosen, but it caught my attention. Mostly because it was what I told her to wear and also because she was the only person I've seen that can pull off sweats. I hated to admit it, but ever since then, she was a constant distraction. And today didn't help. When I walked into English today, there was no doubt. I was attracted to Chloe Saunders. But that was it. That was as far as I was going to let it go. I wasn't about to confess anything to her because there was nothing to confess. I was attracted to her. That was all. I didn't want anything from her and I really doubted she wanted anything from me. As long as I kept my ever increasing staring to a minimum, I was in the clear. And now that the dance was cancelled, I would only have to see her twice a day.

A knock at my door interrupted my thoughts and for once I was grateful. Pushing back from my desk, I walked over to the door and opened it, revealing Simon, whose hand was poised in midair, ready to knock again. He stopped, though, and said, "Can I come in?"

"Sure," I said. I moved over and gestured him in. When he was all the way in, I shut the door and walked back over to my desk, turning my chair to face him.

"Shoot," I said.

"I kinda have a favor," he said, "Well, not really a favor, but a request."

"And?" I said.

"Well, as you know, I have a biology project," he said. "We don't have much time to do it so I thought I'd invite my partner over for the weekend to work on it."

"What do you need from me?" I asked.

"Your permission," he said. When he noticed my confused look, he explained. "Well, I asked Dad and he said I'd have to ask you because you have to change this weekend and he didn't know whether or not you'd care if you had to sneak out of the house to do it."

"I don't care," I said. "As long as you don't make you do your project, go for it."

His smile should have been a tip off. He seemed way too happy that I had agreed to let him invite his partner over for the weekend. It wasn't until he had left the room that I remembered exactly who his partner was. Scrambling up, I threw open the door and practically ran to Simon's room. When I entered it, he held up his hands and said, "You already said yes."

"Well, you forgot to mention a crucial fact," I said. "Such as who was coming over."

"If I would have told you, you would have said no," he said.

"Which is why I'm saying no now," I said.

"You already said yes. You already said that you don't care if you have to sneak out, so why does it matter that it's Chloe?" he said

Growling I walked out and back to my room, falling on my bed and groaning. _Well this is perfect. An entire weekend with the girl that I was trying to stay away from. Just fan-fucking-tastic._

**Okay, so I just want to say that I'm REALLY sorry for the wait. This chapter was really hard to write for some reason. Anyway, I'm also sorry if it sucks. I'm a little distracted because I take my driver's test soon and I'm really worried. Anyway, the next chapter will be in Chloe's POV.**


	13. Spend The Weekend At Your House?

**And I bring you another chapter. I'm putting off doing my Intro to Lit homework to write this so hopefully it's worth it. I'm a little ticked off write now and in no mood to do my homework. Still no license because the old douche bag doesn't know the difference between a stop and running a stop sign. **

**I am really sorry about last chapter's riddle. I typed it down wrong. It was actually what grows larger the more you take away. Sorry. The answer was a hole but I'm going to give the points to all of you that attempted it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**This is Chloe's POV.**

_Who is it that everybody listens to but nobody believes?_

"Is Lauren picking you up after school?" Dad asked as I poured myself a bowl of Lucky Charms. I picked up the bowl and walked over to the counter next to the fridge to pour the milk.

"Yeah," I said, "She's taking me shopping for the dance that was cancelled."

His coffee mug stopped halfway to his mouth and he gave me a weird look. "If it was cancelled, then why is she taking you shopping for it? Isn't that just shopping?"

"No," I answered, walking over the table and sitting down. "If it was just shopping, she'd let me do it myself. Technically, the dance was cancelled until somebody came clean about breaking into the school the other night. I think she just wants to take me shopping so that if the dance does go on, I won't have an excuse for not going."

"Hold on, go back to the break in," he said, setting down his mug. "Somebody broke into your school?"

"I didn't tell you?" I asked. I spooned some cereal in my mouth and said, "Somebody broke in on Tuesday but nobody knows who did it."

"Did they steal anything?" he asked.

"I don't think so," I said, "But if they did, it wasn't like it was something valuable. Nothing was broken and all the expensive stuff was still there."

"Then how do they know that somebody broke in?" he asked.

"They left something behind. A colored pencil set," I explained.

"How does someone not notice that they left behind colored pencils?" he questioned as he got up to refill his coffee mug.

"They were small," I said. "They must have just fallen out of their pocket and they didn't notice."

"Well, I want you to be careful," he said, "You have no idea who did it or their purpose."

"I know, Dad," I said, getting up to put my bowl in the sink.

"When you're ready, I'll drive you to school," he said walking out of the kitchen.

I followed him and then went into my room, where I grabbed my backpack and jacket, and walked to the front door. As I was putting on my jacket, I wondered where Beth was. She didn't wake me up this morning or ask what I wanted her to do. I was so deep in thought that I didn't see me Dad walk up beside me. It wasn't until he waved his hand in front of my face that I returned to the present. I grabbed my bag and followed him out.

…,,,…

Standing at my locker, I tried focusing on shoving my stuff into my bag. Five minutes at school and I had already been annoyed. Some guy had come up to me and asked me if he could show me a good time. I wasn't going to say yes anyway but I knew that he was only asking because he thought I was dating Derek. Though my day has started crappy so far, by third hour my day would be better again. At least I'd have someone to share my pain.

"I have great news," Rae said, coming up and standing beside me.

"A giant swarm of wasps took over the history room and class was cancelled," I guessed.

"No, but that would be great news," she said, "Anyway, I have even greater news!"

"Greater than wasps? It must be really great news," I said, a little sarcastically. She didn't notice, though, and started talking.

"I got a date for the dance," she said, proudly.

"The dance that was cancelled?" I asked.

"Yes, Ms. Technical," she said, "I'm counting on it being uncancelled though, so I got a date."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that most likely the only reason that he said yes was because _he _didn't think the dance would be uncancelled. Instead, I said, "And who did you get?"

"This guy in my English class. His name is Mike or something," she said.

"You don't even know his name?" I asked. Just as I said it, the bell decided to ring and Rae took that as an excuse not to justify herself. Instead, she slammed my locker door shut for me and pushed me to history. I didn't argue and let her escort me to history, hoping my first two hours would go by fast.

…,,,…

Unfortunately for me, my first two hours went by really slowly and badly. I was asked a series of questions in history that I didn't know because I was doing math homework the night before. I got one right, though. In math, I failed my pop quiz, much to Maggie's confusion. Apparently what my "tutor" taught didn't stick. She said I should get together with them again. That would have been fine if I knew who it was. I had yet to figure it out.

Third hour, however, would make up for the crappy beginning. When I walked in, Derek wasn't there yet so I just walked to my own seat and got everything ready and then waited for him. But as the clock ticked on, he still didn't show. I was starting to get a little worried, especially when the bell rang and Ms. Wallus started class. _Where is he? Is he okay?_ I hadn't seen him in the halls between classes, but I had just told myself he was avoiding the mob. Yesterday after school he had said he'd see me tomorrow, but that's just an expression, right? Like when someone says "see you later," and you don't see them until the next day. But even if it is just an expression, it doesn't really matter because it's a school day and it's considered normal to show up during school hours. _So then where is he?_

Without Derek, English was long and dull. I even almost fell asleep. The most productive thing I did was write down the assignment. When she dismissed us, I rushed to my locker, anxious to get to lunch. I wanted to see if Simon and Tori were there. When I walked into the cafeteria, my eyes instantly went to the basketball. Sure enough, Simon was there, laughing at something one of the players had said. I looked across the room and saw Tori sitting with her friends. _So where's Derek. If it's just him, maybe he's sick. _That got me worried and I walked over to our table and sat down. Rae was discussing outfits for the dance with Liz. When they saw me, Rae said,

"So what are you wearing to the dance?"

"The cancelled dance?" I asked jokingly.

"The soon to be uncancelled dance," Rae said, as if it was true.

"I don't know," I said, "I'm going shopping with my aunt after school."

"Good strategy," she said, "Now you don't have to pay for it."

I just rolled my eyes and smiled. Out of all my friends, Rae was the one that I was the most different from. She was really concerned with guys while I've never been on a date. I've never even seriously crushed on a guy. Now the closest thing I've ever had to liking a guy is Derek and that doesn't even count.

"So, Maggie, what are you wearing for Simon?" Rae asked.

"Well, I wasn't going to wear anything, but then I might come on too strong, so now I've decided on clothes," she said, taking a bite out of her hamburger.

Liz and I started laughing and Rae looked a little annoyed. She obviously doesn't understand true humor. Maggie looked a little proud of herself and just ignored Rae. Lucky for her, she didn't have to ignore her too long because the bell rang just after that. Maggie and I fled before Rae could trap us in another dance conversation. When we got out of the cafeteria, we went our separate ways and I hurried to my locker. I wanted to get to Biology so that I could talk to Simon. I wanted to know where Derek was and Simon was my only way.

Walking into biology, I quickly walked past the people who were already in their seats. I didn't want to get stopped. When I got to my seat, I sat down and waited for Simon. After a few minutes, he walked in, followed by Tori. She just ignored me and found her own seat, but Simon saw me and smiled. I smiled back and he sat down.

"Before you say anything, I've got to tell you my idea before I burst," he said, sounding excited.

I laughed and said, "Well, we wouldn't want that."

"Okay, so we don't have a lot of time left to do our project and we still haven't really gotten anywhere, so I thought why not do it this weekend? And then that brought up the annoyance of planning times and everything, so then I thought, why not have you stay the weekend?" he said all in one breath.

My smile fell and it took me a minute to respond. "Spend the weekend at your house?"

"Yeah," he said, excited. "You can come over tomorrow after school and then go home Sunday. We can work on the project and I'll make Derek find dead things somewhere and we can study them."

"Oh, well I guess that works," I said, trying to sound a little enthusiastic.

"Great," he said, grinning. "I was worried that I'd have a hard time convincing Derek but he agreed."

"Did he?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation towards Derek.

"Yeah," he said. "He was kind of distracted, though, so it wasn't that hard."

"I didn't see him today," I said, trying to be subtle.

"He didn't come to school today," he said, "Dad went to Albany for work and Derek went with him."

I almost sighed in relief but stopped myself. _So he's not sick. _However, my relief was short lived. Another thought entered my head and decided to stay. _I'm going to spend the entire weekend at Derek's house. _

…,,,…

The rest of the day passed without event. I basically just went to class and thought about this weekend. I didn't tell Maggie or Jake. I especially didn't tell Rae. One person I had to tell was Beth, if she ever showed up. I still hadn't seen her, which was strange. She usually showed up by now to comment on my classes. Knowing Beth, she was probably following Derek to Albany. Why she would want to do that all day is beyond me, but it's her choice.

When school was over, I didn't go to the gym to work on the dance. I didn't want to sit there by myself and finish painting the banner. Besides, the faster I leave, the faster I can go shopping with Aunt Lauren and then get home and try to contact Beth. I really needed to talk to her about this weekend. I definitely wasn't going to be able to make it without her.

…,,,…

Unlocking the door, I lugged my bags into the apartment and set them down, resting my arms. Aunt Lauren had definitely gone overboard on clothes. I really didn't need all these clothes because it's only one night but she thought I should have options. And they weren't even clothes I would normally wear to school. They were kind of like the ones I wore that Derek hated, except a little less slutty.

Sighing, I picked up the bags again and lugged them the rest of the way to my room where I dumped them by my closet and collapsed on my bed. It really felt good to lie down and I felt like curling up and taking a nap, but being me, I had stuff to do. For one thing, I had tons of homework, but that wouldn't get done until later. What I really needed was to try and summon Beth.

I sat up and crossed my legs. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on Beth and pulled. I didn't do this very often and sometimes I get other ghosts. They aren't always happy to get their afterlife interrupted. After a few minutes, I opened my eyes and looked around my room. Still no Beth. _Where is she?_ Instead of trying again, I walked over to my closet and started going through my clothes. None of them were really me, but if I was lucky, I'd never have to wear them.

"I'd go with the blue shirt," a voice said in my ear.

I yelped and fell back, through Beth and onto my butt. I looked up at her and glared.

"Chloe!" my dad shouted from the kitchen, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just saw a spider," I said automatically and then cringed at such a weak excuse. I got up and brushed myself off.

"Sorry," she said. "In my defense, you did call."

"Yeah, like 15 minutes ago," I said.

"I was busy," she said, going through my clothes. "Now, what did you need?"

"Well, if you would have been at school today, you would know that I'm going to Simon's house this weekend to work on our project," I said, crossing my arms.

She dropped the shirt she was holding and rushed over to me. "You're going to Derek's house? This is huge!"

"Which is why I called you," I said. "I'm not only going to his house. I'm staying there for the weekend."

"As in he'll see you in your pajamas?" she said, her eyes going wide. She ran to my closet and pulled out my overnight bag. "We have to start packing now! It's going to take all night to pick out your wardrobe. And it will take at least half an hour to pick your pajamas. You do not want to wear the wrong ones."

"How about you pack and I do my math homework?" I suggested.

She liked that idea even better and got to work while I moved to my desk and took out my math book, trying to distract myself from tomorrow. An entire weekend in the same house as Derek.

**Okay, I know it's short and I'm sorry about that. This was basically all I had to put in this chapter. The next one will be better, I swear. **


	14. So What's The Plan?

**I wasn't planning on updating this so soon, but I'm in the writing mood and this is the story I feel like updating. I'm going to try to make this longer than the last chapter. I'm not sure how far I'm going to go with this chapter, but we'll see. **

**The answer to the last riddle was the weatherman.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

_What is black when you buy it, red as you use it, and grey when you throw it out?_

Chloe's POV

"I'm not so sure about this," Dad said, stopping the car at a traffic light.

"Dad, I'll be fine. It's just for the weekend. Besides, Mr. Bae will be there the entire time," I said. I wasn't actually sure if he would be there or not. I just wasn't about to tell my Dad that.

"But your partner is a boy," he said, "a teenage boy. You can't trust them."

"You were a teenage boy once," I pointed out.

"Exactly," he said, "That is why I know that this is not a good idea."

I shook my head and said, "You're starting to sound like Aunt Lauren."

"In that case, I heartily give my blessing," he said, smiling. I smiled back. It was no secret that Dad and Aunt Lauren didn't like each other. They didn't like each other when my mom was alive and when she died, it got worse. He almost didn't let me go out with her every Thursday until I made some excuse about female time. He instantly folded at that.

We finally made it to the school and he pulled up to the curb. "Now, I trust you to be smart about spending the weekend at some boy's house, but I have to play the concerned father card at least twice a year and this is the best I'm gonna get. When you get to his house, I want you to call and check in so I know you made it there safely. I also want to speak with Mr. Bae. Don't worry, I won't say anything to embarrass you. I want you to leave your phone on at all times so I can reach you. And now that that's been said, have fun."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Check, check, and check. Don't worry, nothing's gonna happen. I'll be home by Sunday."

"Alright," he said. "And I expect you to get an A on this assignment to justify worrying your father."

"Gotcha," I said, "Bye. See ya Sunday."

"Bye," he said.

I got out of the car and opened the back door. I grabbed my overnight bag and my backpack and shut the door. I had no idea what was in my overnight bag. I was a little afraid to look. It hadn't occurred to me until I was lying in bed trying to falling asleep that letting Beth pack the bag that would hold what I wear for the next two days wasn't a good idea. I was definitely afraid of what she packed as pajamas. She had a rather sick sense of humor when it came to dressing me. I was really hoping she hadn't found the pair of pajamas hidden underneath a bunch of jeans. They were a pair from Aunt Lauren when I finally started "growing." I really didn't have anything in the chest department, but she dares to hope. She got them for me as a birthday present. They really aren't that bad…if I'm alone. The top is a tank that dips a little low and ends a little short. The bottoms are shorts which redefine the word. They end about a quarter of an inch from what's under it. They are nice, don't get me wrong, but they're not something I really want to wear in front of anyone, especially Derek. I hadn't even worn them yet because I didn't want Beth to see them. She would totally use them as blackmail.

Speaking of Beth, ever since I told her that I was spending the weekend at Simon's (a.k.a. Derek's) house, she's practically glued herself to my side. Her excuse was that she didn't want to miss anything. I have to question her motive, though, because I had to almost banish her so that I could take a shower this morning. Once I was dressed, though, she was back monitoring my every action. I know I had complained yesterday about her not being around, but I was starting to miss that. She was walking as close to me as she could get without walking through me and it was starting to freak me out. I know she can't actually touch me, but my bubble was seriously being invaded. I think it's time to alert the military.

I walked into the school and was swept up in the flood of students. They seemed to be in a rush to somewhere, and unfortunately for me, it was in the opposite direction that I was headed. I had to elbow a few kids and step on a lot of feet to get through. Beth tried to help as much as she could, but she couldn't really keep them away from me without causing a scene. She did push a kid into the wall, but only because it looked like somebody else had did it. I didn't scold her that time because it actually benefited me. I was almost out of the current when my bag got hooked on somebody and I got pulled back. I almost fell onto my back to get trampled when somebody grabbed my arm and pulled me through. Jake locked his arm securely around me and pulled me to my locker. He let go when he was convince I wasn't going to get sucked back in.

"Thanks," I said, setting down my bag. "What's going on? Why is everybody is such a rush?"

"There was an announcement over the intercom telling everybody to go to the gym," he said. "They didn't say what it was about, but I heard a lot of the kids mentioning the dance, so I'm assuming it has something to do with that."

"Is that really worth almost killing me for?" I said, rubbing my arm wear a bruise was starting.

"Be lucky that's all that happened," he said. He held out his hand, showing a bite mark.

"Holy crap," I said, "Who bit you?"

"Some girl," he said, "I was trying to get to the bathroom and she thought I was getting in her way, so she just chomped down. Hurts like hell, too. Think she might have given me something?"

He lifted his hand to examine it closer. "We can stop and see what Aunt Lauren thinks. At least she didn't break the skin."

I turned to my locker and twisted the lock until it clicked open. I swung open the door and shoved my overnight bag in first. I tried to shove it as close to the bottom as possible. Next I put my backpack in. I didn't bother unpacking it because I was going to the gym anyway. It almost didn't fit, but Beth held it up while I shut the door. I twisted the dial to make sure it was locked and then followed Jake to the nurse's office. All the kids had went past and now the halls were completely empty. Even the classrooms were empty. Guess the announcement included the teachers.

When we got to Aunt Lauren's office, I was glad to see the door was open, meaning she was still there. She always locked the door whenever she stepped out, even for a second. She didn't want to risk students sneaking in and taking anything. We walked in and into her personal sanctum. She was sitting at her desk filling out paperwork. When she saw us, she motioned us in and then held up a finger, signaling to wait. So we each took a seat and waited for her to finish.

When she did, she looked up and said, "So why aren't you two in the gym?"

"War wound," Jake said, holding up his hand. Aunt Lauren took one look at it and said, "Who were you fighting? Girl Scouts?"

She got up and walked over to her cabinet and grabbed some disinfectant and a cotton ball. She walked back over and kneeled in front of Jake to get better access at his hand. She poured some of the disinfectant onto the cotton ball and rubbed it over the tooth marks.

"She was just some girl in the hallway," Jake said. "She thought I was in her way."

"Well, she has an odd way of saying excuse me," Aunt Lauren said, getting back up and throwing away the cotton ball. She grabbed the bottle of aspirin and offered him two. He swallowed them and thanked her.

"Why aren't _you_ in the gym?" I asked.

"And miss out on all this fun paperwork?" she said, sarcastically. "I would be there, but I have to get these delivered by three and I have too many to waste time going to some assembly."

"What are they for?" I asked.

"They're forms for the new shipment of supplies. I wouldn't usually stress over supplies, but they contain the new flu shots."

"Didn't you get those last week?" I asked.

"No," she said. "I got what was supposed to be flu shots. Instead, I got vaccine for chicken pox."

"Well, they're practically the same thing," I said, standing up.

"Luckily, I hadn't administered any doses," she said.

"Well, if we see any chickens, we'll send them your way," Jake said.

We walked out of her office and headed for the gym. "You do know that chicken pox doesn't actually turn you into a chicken, right?"

"Course," he said, "Everybody knows that it turns you into a turkey."

I just shook my head and continued walking. We weren't far from the gym, so it didn't take long to get there. Finding a seat, however, was another thing. The entire gym was packed. Some kids were even forced to stand along the walls. I looked around and saw a small empty place in the middle of the bleachers. I wondered why they were open until I saw who was sitting next to them. Standing on top of the seat waving her arms frantically was Liz. Jake and I exchanged a look and then made our way up the steps to everybody. And everybody it was. Like I expected, Liz, Maggie, and Rae were seated together, but so were Simon and Tori. It surprised me for a second before I noticed that Derek wasn't with them. _He's gone again?_

"What took you guys so long?" Liz asked. "I wasn't sure if I could keep these seats much longer."

Jake held out his hand and Liz gasped.

"How did you manage that?" Maggie asked.

"Got in a fight with a pit bull," he said, "I almost didn't make it."

Maggie gave him a look and he said, "Some girl bit me in the hall."

"Were you hitting on her?" Rae asked.

"For once, no," he said.

"What do you think the assembly is for?" Liz said, back to her excited self, complete with bouncing in her seat.

"Probably more news about the dance," Jake said.

"Do you think they've decided to reschedule the dance?" Liz asked, "I bought a new dress and everything."

"Well I for one hope so," Jake said, winking at me.

I just rolled my eyes and turned my attention to the man currently tapping on the microphone. Mr. Davidoff was standing there waiting until everybody became silent and then he began.

"I didn't make it around to everybody's classroom on Wednesday, so I would like to begin by introducing myself," he said. "My name is Marcel Davidoff and as many of you know, I am your new principal. I know we've gotten to a rocky start by my decision about the dance, but I would like to assure you that I am not here to make your high school experience as horrible as possible." He paused for awkward laughter before continuing. "I know many of you think my decision was unfair, but it was necessary. On a brighter side, I have decided to repeal my decision. The dance will be rescheduled and as the saying goes, "the party must go on."

The entire gym erupted in shouts of joy and unfortunately for my poor eardrums, most of it came from the excited blond next to me. I winced and covered my ears. On my other side, Beth was making just as much noise and I was the only one who could hear it. All in all, I might need a hearing aid in about five minutes.

"Yes, yes, I realize that this is news worthy of excitement, but I still have another announcement to make, so if you could please quiet down," Mr. Davidoff said. It took another minute, but eventually the gym went silent. "Thank you. Now, as I was saying, I have another announcement. As you all know, next week is the last week before the holidays. I am well aware that many of you just want to forget about school for two weeks. However, the state of New York is going to be participating in a nationwide test to determine where the states are academically. These tests will occur directly after the holidays. Studying is necessary, so please take a little time to go over your studies. That being said, you are excused to your first class."

The news about the test might have been enough to make a few kids groan, but the fact that the dance was back on was enough of a distraction. Liz was definitely excited, evidenced by the death grip on my arm and her bouncing up and down. If Beth could grab my other arm, I'm sure she would. Behind me Rae and Maggie were back to discussing outfits for the dance. Rae was saying how we had to go on a shopping spree and get the perfect outfits. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I already had mine and so did Liz. Maggie didn't though, and as much as I love her, I'm not willing to go into a mall with Rae anytime soon. She was a little like Beth when it came to picking out my outfits. Except whereas Beth would go for the clothes that were revealing, Rae would go with the ones that screamed expensive. She couldn't afford them herself, but she claimed that she lived fashionably through me. I would have preferred she use Liz as her Barbie doll, but I was the only one with a debit card and a rich father.

"If you ladies are through breaking my eardrums," Jake said, "I don't really want to be late. I've given Carnahan enough reason to give me detention as it is."

"I'm with him," Maggie said, in hopes of distracting Rae. When Rae didn't seem to take the hint, she gave me a pleading look. I held back a smile and grabbed Rae's arm, saying, "We better go. I think talking about the next test and who know how Mrs. Washington is. She won't start until everybody is there and she won't let anybody go until she is done."

"You're right," she said, "and I don't want to be late for biology."

"What's happening in biology?" I asked.

"Apparently Mark is in my biology class," she said.

"Don't you mean Mike?" I asked.

"Nuances," she said.

I didn't comment at her remark. Instead, I followed her out of the gym and to her locker. When she opened the door, I was surprised she hadn't been crushed yet. Her locker was full to bursting. She located her history book and yanked it out. I was expecting everything to fall out, but it held. I looked at the door and saw that it was just as packed. The entire surface was covered in pictures. Most of them were of her family but there were some of her friends, too. I recognized a few from when we went to the beach and others from when we Aunt Lauren took us all the New York City for the day.

"Now onto your locker," Rae said.

I nodded and we started walking down the hall. When we turned the corner, I saw the boy that was in Aunt Lauren's office last week. I think she said his name was Liam. He was standing by a group of lockers. I didn't really think anything of it, except he was just standing there. He didn't even open any. And then he did something that weirded me out. He sniffed the air. Not the casual deep breath through the nose, but a full on sniff. Then he did it again. _What is he smelling for?_ When he turned around, he saw us. He gave us a creepy smile and said, "Ladies."

Rae smiled back, but I kept my face straight. When we had finally past him, I relaxed. He creeped me out. The smelling was weird enough but that smile unnerved me. It reminded me of a serial killer. I know it was ridiculous to get so worked up over some guy, but my instincts screamed trouble. When I glanced over at Beth, I saw that she was watching behind us. Her eyes were glued on Liam. I felt safer knowing Beth was watching out for me.

When we got to my locker, I unlocked it and opened the door. I pulled out my bag and unloaded my science stuff and replaced it with my history book. My math and English were already in it. I tried to keep the door straight so that Rae couldn't see into my locker, but my elbow accidently hit it and it opened farther. She saw the bag on the bottom and said, "Where are you going?"

"I'm staying at my aunt's for the weekend," I lied. It wasn't that I didn't want Rae to know I was going to Simon's. It was more I didn't want to hear what she had to say about it. Rae has an opinion about everything and doesn't know when to keep something to herself. She isn't as bad as Amber when it comes to rumors, but she is bad enough. And the last thing I need is another rumor about me and Derek. It would only take a second for the school to think we were sleeping together. I didn't need the attention and something tells me that it would be just as unwanted to Derek. He had enough eyes on him as it was.

When I had finished packing my bag, I closed my locker and we made our way to the history room. Only half of the students were there. I glanced at the clock and groaned. I was going to be late for math. I wouldn't mind skipping math all together, but there was no way I was going to understand it if I wasn't there.

…,,,…

We got out of history fifteen minutes late. When I finally got to math, I just walked in and found my seat. Mrs. Washington hadn't given us a note, but Mr. Stang understood and didn't comment on me coming in late. Instead, he just continued with his lesson and I got out my stuff. Maggie passed me a packet and I saw it was a review packet. However, there were things on it that we hadn't even covered yet. I gave her a questioning look and she shrugged. I turned my attention to Mr. Stang.

"I can tell by your faces that you are wondering why I gave you this," he said, holding up a packet. "With the rather sudden decision to participate in the national academics test, I've decided to put off our unit test until after the holidays. Instead we're going to focus on preparing for this other test. I know that many of the concepts in this packet are very foreign to you, but our goal is to cover as much of it as we can before the break. I don't expect you to learn this by yourself during the break, but I'm hoping you will at least study what we do cover. I encourage you to get into groups during the break and working on this packet. You may even find that some of the new stuff makes sense. Now, if everyone could open the packet to page one, we'll begin.

I turned the page and groaned. It was what we had covered at the beginning of the year. _He expects me to remember how to do this?_ I looked at Maggie and saw an almost similar expression on her face. However, I know that she understands it whereas I have no clue. Maggie isn't a math genius, but she does pick it up a lot faster than I do. She might not remember it now, but once Mr. Stang starts to explain, she'll know what to do. She's tried tutoring me before, but it just turned into watching movies and ingesting more sugar than the human body can manage.

…,,,…

After math, I headed to English with Beth at my heels. She knew that Derek wasn't going to be there, but she still followed me there. She didn't say anything because Maggie was walking with me and she didn't want me risking accidently talking to her in front of Maggie. Though Maggie knew about me, I wasn't really comfortable talking to myself in front of her.

Walking into English, I made my way to the back and sat down. I didn't bother taking out my stuff yet. I used my foot to subtly pull out the chair next to me. When it was out enough, Beth sat down. I set my backpack in the seat to make it look like I wasn't going crazy. Beth didn't mind the bag as long as she didn't look down.

Ms. Wallus walked in and immediately started talking. "I am well aware that the national test covers English but I see no point in stopping our unit to prepare for the test. Either you're ready or you're not. Now, I want everyone to take out your notes for your novel so I can see how far you are."

I reached down and unzipped my bag. Grabbing my notebook, I re-zipped the bag and sat up. I opened the notebook to the right page and waited for Ms. Wallus to check it. While I waited, I flipped the page and wrote,

_I wonder where Derek is._

Beth looked down at the paper and said, "Maybe he's sick."

_He was gone yesterday too. Simon said he went to Albany with their dad._

"Maybe it was a two-day trip," she suggested.

I stopped writing and flipped the page over when I saw Ms. Wallus coming my way. She glanced at my paper and wrote something down. She looked down at the "empty" seat next to me and shook her head. She moved onto the next row and I waited to make sure she wasn't going to turn around.

_I think she has something against him._

"Against who?" Beth asked.

_Derek._

"Why?" she asked.

_She was really mad that Mr. Davidoff wouldn't suspend Simon and Derek._

"How do you know that?" she asked.

_I overheard them talking. She and Ms. Tuppern wanted him to suspend them. Mr. Drake was Davidoff's side. _

"Has Derek even met Tuppern?" she questioned.

_She and Ms. Wallus are in charge of the dance committee._

"Maybe she was mad that the paint got spilled," she said.

_I was the one to spill it._

She didn't comment at that. Instead she just shrugged. I turned toward the front and gave my attention to Ms. Wallus, who was currently talking about how lazy the majority of the class was with their notes.

"Who did she sleep with to get this job?" Beth asked. I looked over at her and glared slightly. I rested my chin in my hand at tried to stay awake. This is gonna be a long hour.

…,,,…

Once English was finally over, we made our way to lunch. Liz and Rae were back to discussing the dance, completely ignoring us when we sat down. Maggie took that extra time to eat as many of her fries as possible before Rae noticed them. I took my time eating. Fruit cups weren't exactly popular with Rae. I would have liked to get fries or something one of these days but I'd prefer to eat my lunch, so healthy it is. Liz and Rae were whispering to each other, so I was only able to hear every other word. I wasn't really listening to what they were saying until I heard my own name. At that I looked up. Their heads were still together._ Why are they talking about me?_ I glanced over at Beth, who gave me a thumbs up and walked over to their other side to hear better. I watched her facial expression for any sign that it was something bad. I saw surprise flash across her face and then that evil smile I'm so used to. _Oh crap._

"So, Liz," Maggie said, "What does the dress look like?"

Liz looked up and said, "It's a green strapless that goes down to my knees. Brady's gonna love it!"

"What shoes are you wearing?" she asked.

"I still haven't decided. I'm torn between my flats or these cute heels at mall," she said. "I want the heels, but they're kinda expensive and if I buy them, I'm pretty much broke."

"Then wear the flats," Maggie suggested.

"But I've worn them to every other dance," Liz protested.

"Too bad it's not spring," I said.

"Why?" Liz said.

"You could go barefoot," I said. "That would solve your shoe problem."

"Do you think they'd let me?" she asked.

"Probably not," I said. "Health issues."

"I'll figure it out eventually," she sighed.

…,,,…

When I walked into biology, Simon was already at our table. Tori was at hers, too, and they were talking about something. It was probably the first time I had seen Simon with a serious face or Tori talking to him like he wasn't dog crap on the bottom of her shoe. When I got within hearing range, Simon saw me and smiled. Tori turned to see what he was smiling at and rolled her eyes, turning her chair back to the front. I ignored her and took my seat next to Simon.

"Ready for the weekend?" Simon asked.

"I'm not going to get hurt, am I?" I asked, jokingly.

"Nope," he said. "Consider it a Simon Bae guarantee."

"Are these guarantees usually trustworthy?" I asked.

"We'll find out," he said.

"So what's the plan?" I asked.

"Well, we'll meet at the doors for the parking lot after school and then Tori will drive home," he said.

"Tori?" I asked.

"Don't worry," she said turning around, "I'll only kill him. I'll make sure you're just mortally injured."

With that she turned back around. I honestly didn't know if she was joking. It really didn't sound like she was joking. She sounded serious.

"Don't worry," he said, "She wouldn't dare crash the car."

"Why not?" I asked.

"It's Derek's car," he explained, "If she do much as scratches it, Derek will kill her."

"That's good to know…I think," I said.

"So, I thought once we get there we spend an hour working on our project and then blow it off until tomorrow. How's that sound?" he asked.

"Sounds like a plan," I said, smiling.

"I sent Derek out to find dead things when I left this morning. I'm not sure if he actually did it. I guess that fact that he made no move to do it is discouraging," he said. "Oh well, I'll talk Dad into making him."

"Why can't you find them?" I asked.

"Derek's better at it," he said.

"Is finding dead things a talent of his?" I questioned.

"One of many," he said. "He can also brood for two hours straight. I've clocked him."

"Exactly two hours?" I asked.

"Well, my watch died at two hours," he said.

I laughed and said, "Did you get a new watch?"

"I had to," he said, "I kept missing my shows."

"Poor Simon," I said, "That must have been horrible for you."

"Terrible," he said, "I was depressed for weeks."

"As long as you're better now, that's the important thing," I said, patting his arm.

After a few minutes, Mr. Drake came in and started class. He spent the first half of class talking about the national test. He wasn't too pleased about it. It screwed up his presentation schedule. The class wasn't too happy about it either. Now we have to present our projects before we go on break. I guess it was a good thing that I we're working on our project this weekend. When he finished talking about it, he decided the most productive use of the rest of the hour would be to play hangman. I didn't complain.

…,,,…

I don't know what Ms. Wang has against substitute teachers, but she was gone again and again didn't get a sub. That left me with an hour to myself in the back of the library. Well, to the average person I was by myself. To necromancers, I was in an interesting conversation with a ghost which consisted of me trying to get information and her withholding it.

"And why won't you tell me what they were talking about?" I asked, keeping my voice down.

"Some people are entitled to their privacy," she said, pretending to check her nails.

"Says the girl who tried following me into the shower this morning," I said, crossing my arms.

"Hey," she said, "I was concerned for you safety."

"And how is taking a shower dangerous?" I questioned.

"You could get soap in your eyes and then while your gasping in pain, you could blindly slip in a fallen bar of soap and fall backward into the curtain which is too thin to support your weight so you hit the floor while your head hits the counter, and splits open and you bleed to death while your brain is dripping onto the floor," she said.

I just stared at her dumbly for a minute before answering, "Thinking about that long?"

"Just since math," she said. "I fell asleep in history."

"Do you often think of how I'm going to die?" I asked, kinda wierded out.

"Of course," she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "If I don't consider all the possibilities, how am I supposed to prepare myself for when I have to save you?"

"Why is it that everybody thinks I'm going to hurt myself?" I asked.

"Cause you normally do," she pointed out.

"Hey, I haven't tripped up the stairs in a while," I said.

"Well, don't come crying to me when me when you get yourself killed," she said.

…,,,…

My last class went by normally. Because the national test didn't include theatre, we didn't have to listen to another lecture. Instead we got into groups and acted out scenes to different plays. I have to wonder if I'm the only one who notices how random Mr. Benson is. One day we do trust exercises, the next we act in groups. Don't get me wrong, I actually prefer this to an actual schedule, but it starts to get confusing after a while.

When theatre was over, Liz followed me back to my locker. She needed my copy of the math notes because she was gone during her math class. When I opened my locker, she saw my overnight bag, but she didn't say anything, which is actually normal for Liz. While Rae has to always be in your business, Liz actually knew when to keep quiet. She can be totally oblivious to most things, but she respects privacy.

When she had my notes, she said goodbye and left. I was left alone with Beth, who was overly excited. I didn't see what she was so excited about. We'll be working all weekend and I probably won't even see Derek. Not that I'd complain if I did. I was actually kind of hoping that I'd be able to talk to him. I needed to tell him that I knew about the colored pencils and break-in, but I wasn't sure how to tell him. I also wasn't sure how I was going to make it relevant. I mean, just walking up to him and saying "I know your secret" and then walking away is kinda weird.

Shaking my head, I grabbed my bags and shut my locker door. Lifting my backpack onto my shoulder, we starting walking toward the parking lot. When we turned the corner, Simon was already waiting at the doors. When he saw me lugging my overnight back, he rushed forward to grab it.

"What a gentleman," I joked. "But where's your hat? Every gentleman needs a hat."

"It's at home with my cape," he said.

"As much as I love watching the two of you flirt," Tori said, coming up behind us, "I want to get home and I'm not waiting for you."

With that, she walked past us and toward the car.

"Oh, this is going to be fun," I said.

"She'll be at her partner's house for most of tomorrow working on her project," he said, "I'm kinda wishing she gets lost on her way home."

"But then who will bug you?" I asked.

"I'll find something," he said. He held out his hand, motioning that I good go ahead of him. I took him up on his offer and walked outside. The wind instantly went through my jacket. _Is it my imagination, or is it getting colder?_ Simon noticed too, because he rubbed the hand holding the bag with his empty one, trying to warm it up. When we got to the car, Simon and I got into the backseat and Beth got into the empty passenger seat, not that anybody noticed but me. Looking around, I was reminded of the last time I had been in Derek's car. Except, I was in the front seat and certain boy was driving.

After a half hour, Tori pulled into a long driveway. We drove down it for a minute before a house came into view. And it was a big house. Not mansion big, but it certainly was larger than the houses in town. Tori stopped the car and shut it off. She grabbed the keys and her bag and she got out, completely ignoring us. Simon looked over at me and rolled his eyes. We got out and I grabbed my bag from him. I followed him to the door and walked in. From what I could see standing at the doorway, the house was pretty empty. Simon kicked off his shoes and tossed his jacket onto bench. I did the same and dropped my bag. I kept my backpack and followed Simon. We walked through the living room and into the kitchen. He dropped his bag next to the counter, and motioned for me to do the same. I looked around the room and saw a lot of boxes.

"Sorry about the mess," he said. "We're still in the process of unpacking."

"That's fine," I said, "It doesn't bother me."

"Want something to drink?" he asked.

"Sure," I said, "Water's fine."

He nodded and grabbed a glass. Then, going to the sink, he filled the glass and gave it to me.

"Well, I guess we should get started then," he said. He picked up his bag and walked over the table, where he pulled out a chair and sat down. I followed him over and sat down with my back to the door. We took out our notes and started comparing and making a list of questions that had to be answered for the presentation.

"Okay," he said, grabbing a blank piece of paper and his pencil, "What are the five stages of death?"

"Death or dying?" I asked.

"Death, then dying," he said. "Or should we do dying then death? I mean, dying happens before death right?"

"Well I have death first in my notes, so let's start with that," I said. He nodded at wrote something on his paper. Then he looked up, waiting for me to read my notes. I looked down and found where I had written it and grimaced at my bad handwriting. I could barely read it. "Um...the first stage is…fresh."

"They couldn't have come up with a better name?" he asked, looking down at his paper while he wrote.

"Apparently not," I said. "The second stage is…bloat. Ew."

"I'm with you there," he said, "Alright, next."

"Um…," I said. I couldn't really read it.

"Active decay," a deep voice said behind me.

Surprising me, I yelped and jumped. Unfortunately, when I jumped, my knee hit the bottom of the table and my glass jumped too, causing the water to fly all over the table and over our notes. Simon jerked back when the cold water hit him and his arms flew up in defense. My hands flew to my mouth when I saw our notes. Simon's arms fell down and he started laughing. I looked over at him like he had gone crazy.

"Nice one, bro," he said in between laughs.

I had completely forgotten about the voice behind me and I turned around quickly. Behind me, Derek was leaning against the counter with his hands in his pockets, completely relaxed. When he saw me looking, he said, "Do you spill everything?"

"I wouldn't have spilled it if you hadn't snuck up on me," I said, getting angry.

"I didn't sneak," he said. "I walked."

"Well, then you should have announced you presence," I said.

"You want me to announce when I'm coming into my own kitchen," he asked.

"Yes," I said, not realizing how stupid I was sounding until after he said that.

He looked at me for a second longer before shrugging and turning away. I watched him walk to the fridge and grab two bottled waters. He walked back to me and set one of them in front of me. Then he turned around and walked out, calling over his shoulder, "I am leaving the kitchen."

"I'll get a towel," Simon said, standing up.

"I'm so sorry," I said, picking up the glass.

"It's no big deal," he said, "It was kinda funny though."

"Funny? Our notes are ruined," I said.

"Not ruined exactly. Just…complicated," he said.

I picked up a soaking wet sheet and tried to read the running ink. "I think I can make out the word denial."

"Well, that's a start," he said, walking back to the table and pressing the towel to wet notes.

"Whoa," Tori said, walking into the kitchen, "I know that your project blows, but that doesn't mean you have to cry all over it."

"Go to hell, Tori," Simon said.

"Already there," she said, walking past us and grabbing an apple. Then she leaned against the counter and proceeded to eat that apple while watching us clean up the mess, occasionally making rude remarks to Simon about his method of soaking up the water. Eventually he had enough of her and said, "Leave, Tori!"

"Make me, Harry Potter," she said, giving him an arrogant smile. _Harry Potter?_

"Go fu-" he said before being interrupted.

"Alright!" a voice said. All eyes turned to the doorway, where a man stood. He looked like an older version of Simon with Tori's hair, meaning he was probably their dad. "Now, I don't think yelling at each other is the right way to make our guest feel welcome, do you?"

He turned to me and said, "You must be Chloe."

I nodded and he said, "I'm Christopher Bae, but you can call me Kit."

"Oh!" I said, sitting up sharply. I had totally forgotten to call Dad. "I have to call my dad. He told me to call him and he asked if he could talk to you."

Kit smiled and said, "I like his parenting style. I'd like to talk to him. Maybe I can get some parenting techniques."

He pointedly looked at Simon and Tori. I smiled and fished my phone out of my pocket. I thumbed through the phone book before I found him and clicked call. He answered on the second ring. "Hi, Dad, just checking in."

"I trust you made it there safely?" he said.

"Yes, Dad," I said.

"Is Mr. Bae there?" he asked.

"Yes he is," I said. I handed the phone over to Kit and let him talk. I turned back to Simon and Tori, who were having a glaring contest. Instead of getting in the middle of it, I just picked up the towel and picked up where Simon had left off. I tried to salvage as many of the notes as possible, but it didn't look promising. Simon's notes were all written in pen, which was now running down the page. My notes were written in pencil, which was now faded and disappearing with every pat of the towel.

"We're doomed," I said.

Simon turned to look at me and said, "Maybe we have time to redo them."

"Maybe," I said.

"I know!" Simon said. "Let's forget this for a while. How are you with video games?"

"What kind of video games?" I asked.

"The best kind," he said, "Mindlessly shooting at things."

"Well, I guess we'll see," I said.

I set the towel on the table and followed him into the living room. I sat down on the couch while Simon walked over to the TV and set up the game. He grabbed the two controllers and walked back over to me. He handed me one and then sat down in the chair. We waited until it was loaded and were instantly bombarded with zombies. I reacted on instinct and pushed a button, blowing off one's head.

"Nice shot," Simon said.

"Thanks," I said. I pushed the button again and arm came off. I really had no idea what button did what, but so far I was killing things, so apparently I was pressing the right ones. After a half hour, each of us had died many times. I felt the couch dip next to me and looked over. Derek was sitting next to me, his eyes glued on the screen. It took me a few seconds to get back to focus. When I turned back to the screen, a zombie was eating my arm. I tried a button, but it only switched my weapons. I felt a hand on mine and I jumped. I looked down to see Derek's hand over mine and my breathing hitched, my heart beating dangerously fast. He fit his hand perfectly over mine and when he pressed his finger on the x, mine pressed under his. On the screen, my character's right fist shot up and decked the zombie under the chin, sending his head flying.

"Hey," Simon said, "No backseat killing."

"If it was backseat killing," Derek said, "I would have told her which button to push. I didn't say a word."

I was still too shocked to say anything. The only thing I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears. It didn't help that Derek's hand was still over mine. When he turned to speak with Simon, his hand had slipped a little and was now slightly curved around mine. I was trying desperately to keep my breathing under control. _What's wrong with me?_ Derek and Simon were currently arguing over what was considered helping. Derek obviously had no idea that he was technically holding my hand. I looked down and studied his hand. It was big and lean. And really warm. The heat from his hand was oddly comforting. I felt Derek shift and I was snapped out of my daydream.

"Fine," Simon said. He turned back to the TV and restarted the level. I had no idea what was going on. Next to me, Derek shifted closer to me and turned so that he had one leg bent and the other like normal. His hand moved and I looked down. His hand moved back over mine. His other arm came around my other side and his left hand mirrored his right. My breathing was becoming an issue again. I felt his hot breath on my ear as he leaned down to speak into my ear.

"Stay behind Simon until the zombie missing his left hand appears," he said. "He is the hardest to take out. You're going to need all your ammo. Let Simon use his on the other ones. It'll rack up his points, but defeating the one with the missing hand wins you the level."

I nodded and let Derek navigate me away from the incoming zombies, skillfully keeping me away without alerting the zombies. Simon didn't seem to notice as he blew a lot of heads off. I had to wonder why Derek was doing this. Obviously he was doing all the work, so why have me hold the controller? I wasn't about to point this out to him, though. For some reason, I couldn't let myself tell him because that would mean his hands would go off mine. After ten minutes, Simon was almost out of ammo and the zombies were thinning. When he killed the last one, the one missing the hand appeared. Simon took a few shots and the zombie didn't even flinch. One more shot and the gun clicked, signaling that he was out of ammo. The zombie killed him in a second. After killing him, the zombie was headed straight for me. Even though it was only a video game and I couldn't actually get hurt, I started panicking. I felt Derek shift so that he was closer to me and his hands tightened over mine. I focused on the pressure of his hands as he pressed my fingers on the buttons. I watched as he aimed for individual sections of the zombie. He shot the right hand off first so that the zombie couldn't grab me. Then he shot through the left knee cap and the zombie went down. I had to admit, Derek was really good. He knew all the weak spots. I watched him blow off more bits and then the zombie stopped moving entirely. The game seemed to pause for a second before flashing that we had won. I smiled and looked up at Derek, who was closer than I thought. He looked down and his eyes locked with mine. We just watched each other for a minute before I remembered Simon. I looked over to discover Simon was gone. I looked around the room, but he was nowhere in sight.

"He's in the kitchen," Derek answered my unspoken question. My hands still gripped the controller and his still gripped mine. I could feel a lot of heat radiating off of him and all I wanted to do was lean my back against him and bask in it. I heard someone clear their throat and I jumped, hitting my head on Derek's chin, earning a grunt from him. His hands dropped mine and his arms came from around me. He looked at me questionably and I looked over his shoulder to see Beth, smiling like she knew the biggest secret in the world. I looked up at Derek and started stuttering a response, having no idea what to say. Luckily for me, that was the time Simon chose to reenter the room and Derek sighed, getting up and leaving the room. I glared at Beth before giving my attention to Simon.

"So Dad wanted to know if pizza was okay for dinner," he said.

"Pizza's fine," I said.

"Cool," he said. I followed him into the kitchen and watched as Kit called the pizza place and argued with Simon over the type. I wasn't really sure with what he settled on because there was too much confrontation. But eventually, he made the order and hung up, saying it should be here in half an hour.

"So, how about a tour of the house?" Simon suggested.

"Sure," I said.

We walked around the ground floor first and he showed me where the bathroom was and his dad's office. Then we moved onto the upstairs. He showed me the other bathroom and Tori's bedroom, which he didn't show me the inside because she would kill him. He wouldn't take me into his room either, but I guessed he didn't want me to see the mess. The last room he showed me was Derek's. We didn't go in, but I kinda wanted to know what Derek's sanctum looked like.

…,,,…

A few hours later, stuffed with pizza and falling asleep on the couch watching movies, we finally declared it time for bed. I was to sleep on the couch. Kit apologized for it, but they didn't have any of the guest rooms made up yet. I didn't complain. I grabbed my bag from the doorway and went into the downstairs bathroom. I kneeled down and unzipped it. Looking inside, I got confused. Beth had packed two pairs of pajamas. One was the exact pair that I didn't want her to pack, but the other the normal ones I wear. Namely, a pair of sweats and a tank. I chose the second option and got dressed.

Fifteen minutes later I was curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and falling asleep thinking about what had happened between me and Derek.

**Okay, so I know I told a lot of you that this would be up by Friday, but things came up and this took me longer than I thought to write. I don't think any of you will complain about this being too short. 20 pages single space and 8,373 words. The longest thing I've ever written. Anyway, to see who actually reads these and as a reward for my loyal reviewers, there will be a special treat if you review this chapter. This is one time thing. However, the conditions are that you have to review and you have to sign in. It won't work if you don't sign in. **


	15. What Is He Doing?

**Okay, so I have been waiting since the beginning to post this chapter. I've had part of this written since I started and it's been sitting on my computer waiting. That is why you guys got a sneak peek if you reviewed. However, like I said before, that was a one-time only deal. I don't have the next chapter written out, so I can't so another sneak peek. Anyway, I have to say, I LOVE YOU GUYS! You guys are amazing! I got 32 reviews for that last chapter and some of you took the time to PM me. You guys rock. As a side note, there's gonna be a lot in this chapter, content wise. **

**The answer to the last riddle was coal. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

_What kind of bath can you take without water?_

Sighing, I turned onto my side and stared at the wall. One in the morning and I can't sleep. It's not like I haven't slept at anyone else's house before, so why was I having so much trouble. The couch was comfortable, the blanket was warm, Beth finally stopped talking, but I was still awake. I just had this nagging feeling that something was close to me. I had no idea what the something was or even if it was real, but I just felt like I could sense something. Whatever it was was keeping me awake and giving me a slight headache. Groaning, I turned me face into the pillow. I was tempted to scream into it when I heard something. I sat up and looked around. It was coming from upstairs. I heard a door open and then slight shuffling. Someone was awake. When I heard them come downstairs, I lay back down and closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep. Whoever it was stopped outside of the living room and paused and then continued on. I heard the front door open and the person go out. Hearing the door click shut, I waited a second before opening my eyes and walking to the window. I looked out to see Derek walking into the woods. _What is he doing? _I was about to turn around and walk to the couch when I did a double take. He wasn't wearing a jacket, just a t-shirt and jeans. I couldn't see his feet, but I assumed he was wearing shoes. I fought with myself before deciding to follow him. Even though I was curious as to what he was doing, I wouldn't ask. I'd just bring him his coat. I mean, it's winter and below freezing outside. Quietly walking to the front door, I pulled my jacket and shoes on, suddenly grateful I wore the long pajamas. I grabbed Derek's coat and checked behind me to make sure nobody was there and turned back to the door, pulling it open slowly. I stepped outside and the wind blasted against me. Teeth chattering, I pulled my jacket closer to me and began following his trail in the snow. It was a little difficult because it was dark, but the light from the full moon was reflecting off the snow, lighting my path a little.

As I walked farther into the woods, I began to get second thoughts. For one thing, I am in the middle of a forest I had never been into in the middle of the night. Second, I'm following a guy who walked outside in below freezing weather wearing nothing but a t-shirt. This screamed stupid. Swallowing my fear, I kept walking until I saw something lying in the snow. I rushed over and picked up fabric. Realizing that it was Derek's shirt, I looked around, searching for more clothes. I didn't see any so I walked a little farther. After about a minute, I heard a twig snap. I froze and looked around. I heard it again and started walking quietly toward the direction that the sound came from. Stepping up to a large bush, I could hear movement on the other side. I pushed the branches aside slowly and looked into a small clearing. It was empty except for a pair of jeans and a pair of shoes. In the middle, the snow was packed down like someone sat in it. I walked in cautiously, looking around for signs of life. Not seeing any, I ran forward and picked up the jeans, looking for signs of violence. They looked fine: a small tear at the bottom of the leg, but that looked like a normal rip.

I sat down in the snow, ignoring the cold as it seeped through my pajama pants. I reached into his pockets and pulled out a wallet. Opening it, I found his driver's license. Looking at his picture, he looked sullen. I read his name: Derek James Souza. _James. I didn't know that. It suits him. _I skipped over the address because I already knew that. Date of birth: 02-17-1992. _I'll have to remember that._

As I held the jeans, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Looking up quickly, I saw something flash by just outside the clearing. My breathing quickened as I looked frantically around me. I heard a rustle from the dead leaves on the bush behind me. Turning around, I dropped the wallet and scrambled to my feet. But as much as I looked, I couldn't see anything. The moon had disappeared behind clouds and left the forest pitch dark. Backing up, I looked at the bush. A pair of bright eyes flashed and I went running, not realizing I was going in the wrong direction, away from the house.

As I ran, I couldn't hear anything but my own feet plowing through the snow and brush and my breath coming out in gasps as my lungs burned. I faintly heard a rip of fabric as I passed through a thorn bush. Trees flashed past me, but I didn't notice them, nor anything around me as I focused on getting away from whatever was behind me. I looked behind me, trying to see if it was still chasing me. Not seeing anything, I looked back in front of me to see those eyes in my path. Gasping, I stumbled.

Just before I hit the ground, I caught myself and pivoted to the left. I kept running until my legs, which had been threatening to give way, got their way. Hitting the snow face first, I lifted myself up and wiped the snow from my face. I looked around for whatever was chasing me and saw a long path of just snow winding through the woods. It didn't look that used. There were no tracks on it. _Why are there tracks everywhere but here? _My question was soon answered when I heard a loud crack rang through the silent woods. Looking around, I searched for the source of the noise. I felt something shift underneath me. Looking down, I figured out where the noise came from. I was sitting on a frozen river. That explained why there were no tracks. The animals weren't stupid enough to walk onto it. If my heart wasn't about to exploded before, it was now.

Slowly, I tried to ease my way over to the edge of the river. Suddenly, the ice beneath me split and I grabbed onto the largest section of ice I could find. As the ice continued to break, I froze in fear, unable to move, unable to get myself to solid ground. Looking down at the rapid water flowing beneath me, a whimper escaped my lips. I felt the ice chunk I was on turn and my fingers slipped. The water caught my jacket and I was pulled with the current, under the ice. The cold water stung my lungs as I accidently inhaled. I struggled to make my way back when I felt an ice chunk hit my head and everything when black.

DPOV

_Damn it. I should have changed yesterday. _I grabbed my pants and pulled them on. My t-shirt came next. I was silently cursing myself for waiting. If I'd changed yesterday liked I'd planned, I wouldn't have been woken up in the middle of the night by my body screaming to change. I opened my door and walked out into the hall. I left the lamp in my room on in case Dad woke up. It was my sign that I was changing.

I made my way down the stairs and past the living room. As I did, I couldn't help but peek in. On the couch was Chloe. Her blond hair was covering her face and the blanket had wandered down to her waist. I started to step into the room, but I stopped myself. I needed to change.

I walked to the door and silently put my shoes on. I didn't bother putting on my jacket. I'd have a fur coat shortly. I opened the door, being extra cautious not to make any noise. I didn't want to wake up Chloe. I winced as the door clicked shut a little louder than I wanted. I really hoped Chloe hadn't heard that.

I started walking towards the woods. The full moon shone bright. I didn't need the extra light, but I wasn't complaining. It had snowed recently, so my trail was covered but I still knew where I was going. I walked for a few minutes before my body heat forced me to discard my shirt. I just dropped it in the snow. I'd pick it up on my way back. After a minute, I made it to a large bush. I pulled it open to reveal the small clearing that was quickly becoming very familiar. I walked to the middle and took off my shoes and them my pants. I set them aside and got into position. After a second, the change started and my fingers tore into the frozen ground. I ignored the blood on the tips as my shoulders split and shifted closer, my elbows locking into new positions. My fingers retracted from the ground as my hands became paws. I felt my legs finishing just as my face stopped. I waited another second to make sure the change had stopped.

I straightened my back and felt my bones crack. I then flexed my paws, feeling the snow between them. As I walked forward, I heard something. I stopped and listened. Not hearing anything, I took a step forward and stepped on a twig, snapping it. This time I know I heard something. I listened again and heard movement outside the brush. I quietly made my way out and waited. I walked around the bush in time to see them closing. Whatever had made those sounds was now inside. I waited for more noise and heard the rustle of fabric and recognized it as my jeans. I peered into the brush and watched. Chloe was on the other side. _Damn it! _I walked around to the other side to see her face. She was sitting in the middle of the clearing with my pants. She was looking at something but I couldn't see what it was. I quickly ran to the other side, hoping she might see me and get scared. If she got scared, she'd go back inside.

I crouched down and waited. I watched her turn her head, looking for the source of the noise. I tried putting my head a little closer to see her better, but the bush must have rustled and she turned. She must have seen me because she got up and started running in the wrong direction. _Damn it!_

I quickly started running after her. She was faster than I thought. She tore through the snow and brush easily, not once turning to look back. That was smart. If she turned her head, she would lose momentum. Though, I think fear was the only think running through her head. I easily passed her and ran a little ways ahead. I stopped and turned, waiting for her to come barreling through. Sure enough, a minute later, she was running straight for me. Just before she ran into me, she saw me. She stumbled and I waited for her to fall. However, she caught herself and went off in another direction._ Damn it. _

It took me a second to get going again. I heard her ahead of me, but I wasn't overly concerned. I couldn't think of anything in her path. I didn't bother speeding up. I'd catch up with her eventually and I was getting exercise.

About ten feet later, my foot hit a hole and I hit the ground. I lay there for a second making sure I hadn't sprained anything. I flexed my paw and didn't feel anything so I stood up and started running again. However, I only made it a little farther before I froze. I heard a crack up ahead. The river. It wouldn't crack on its own, which meant that there was extra weight on it. And I had a horrible idea that the extra weight was a short blond girl.

I didn't even bother checking. Instead, I went tearing through the snow back to the clearing. I knew she would need saving and I couldn't do that in my current form. As soon as I got back to the clearing, I rushed through my change, my mind only on Chloe. When I was human again, I quickly got dressed, muttering "shit" to myself the entire time. I didn't have my shirt, but my jacket was laying there for some reason so I put it on. I started running full force toward the river. If she fell in, she could be God knows how far by now. And worse yet, she probably went under the ice, meaning she couldn't get air.

When I got to the river, I ran until I was on the edge. I stopped and looked around. Her tracks ended here and didn't continue on the other side…meaning….I looked down and my heart sank. The ice was broken up and only a small part of the river was visible. I frantically looked at the surface of the ice, but I could barely see under it. My heart was about to explode when I saw something red through the ice near the hole. I didn't know if it was Chloe but everything in me hoped and prayed it was her. I knelt down and blindly reached under the ice. I kept my hand at the top of the ice. Just as my arm reached its limit, my hand brushed against something. I grabbed it and pulled. When it got to the hole, I saw red. I pulled a little more and blond hair came into view. _Oh God. _I lifted her from the water and laid her head on my lap. I brushed her soaked blond hair from her face and cringed. She looked practically frozen. I frantically grabbed her wrist and felt for a pulse. It was faint but it was there.

I moved my hand away and she began coughing, the water coming out of her lungs. When she was finally able to take a breath, she turned over and unconsciously grabbed my hand. I looked down at her small hand. Her fingers were tightly wound around my hand. I lifted it a little and saw blood on my hand. I unwound her fingers and saw where the blood had come from. There was a gash along her palm. I was guessing she had tried to grab the ice and had gotten cut. Laying her hand gently on the ground, I searched her for more blood. I found some coating the hair just above her forehead. It wasn't bleeding that badly, but it was enough to worry me. When she started shivering, I remember where we were. I pulled off my jacket and gently wrapped it around her shoulders. I picked her up bridal style and started carrying her back to the house.

I brought her to my room. I didn't know where else to bring her without Dad finding out. I laid her on my bed and stepped back to look at her. She was completely soaked. I was aware that my bed was quickly becoming soaked as well, but I didn't care. I needed to get her out of those clothes and into dry ones. She was already wearing her pajamas, so that only added to the difficulty because I didn't know what to put on her. I turned to my closet and opened it, grabbing out one of the shirts. I turned back to her and realized what I was about to do. I took a deep breath and hoped that she would forgive me.

I walked over to her and knelt on the side of the bed. I grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled up. I tried not to look at what was under it, but I needed to get her head through the hole. I only looked for as long as I had to. Once it was off, I grabbed my shirt and pulled it over her head, guiding her arms through and pulling it down as far as I could. I didn't have anything to replace her pants with, so I was relying on the shirt to hide what I was positive Chloe didn't want me to see. I looked up as I ran my fingers along the top of her pants until I found the seam. I stuck my finger just underneath her pants and pulled down.I pulled them slowly until they were halfway down her thigh, then I yanked them down. I looked up to make sure she didn't wake up: she didn't. I eased the wet blanket out from under her and tossed it on the floor by the bed.

I walked out of my room to the bathroom and grabbed a few things to clean her wounds. When I got back to the room, Chloe had turned over onto her side. I sat on the edge of the bed and gently grabbed her hand. It had stopped bleeding, but I didn't want it to get infected. I grabbed the wet cloth and cleaned off the dried blood. When I was done, I moved onto her head. I brushed the hair away from the wound and my hand brushed her skin. She must have felt because she let out a small sigh and turned into my hand. A small smile graced her lips as I watched her. When I took my hand away though, her smile fell. I grabbed the cloth and wiped the blood away so that I could get a good look at the wound. It wasn't that bad, but I knew it hurt when she cringed at contact. Figuring that there was nothing left for me to do, I grabbed a dry blanket and covered her with it. I'd let her sleep in my room tonight so that she would be more comfortable. The couch would be good enough for me.

I picked up her wet clothes and the blanket and walked downstairs to the basement. I put them in the washer and started it. Going upstairs, I walked into the kitchen. I grabbed an apple and leaned against the counter to think. I wasn't looking forward to morning. I had no idea what I was going to tell Chloe when she asked questions. She'd want to know about the wolf. I didn't know if I could tell her the truth. I didn't want to scare her. _I guess I'll just have to cross that bridge when I get there._ I finished the apple and headed to the living room. Just before I sat down, I realized something. _Where's my wallet?_

CPOV (Sorry, I know it's annoying about the switching.)

I felt myself waking up and buried my head farther into the pillow to try and stay asleep. I was way too comfortable to wake up just yet. It seemed odd, though. The pillow was bigger than I remembered and the blanket was a little heavier. I pulled the blanket closer to me and breathed in. It smelled different too. I was about to ignore it when a pillow slammed into my head. My eyes shot open and I sprang up. I looked up to see Beth standing over me holding a pillow.

"What the hell was that for?" I said.

"Seriously?" she asked. "Do you see where you are?"

I looked around me and gasped. I wasn't on the couch in the living room. I was in a bedroom. Whose bedroom I did not know. It was neat and organized, so I assumed it wasn't Simon's. And there wasn't a girl's thing in sight, so that just left…Derek. _Oh my God! I'm in Derek's room. I'm in Derek's bed._

I started hyperventilating and Beth hit me with the pillow again. I looked up at her.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"I have no idea," I said. "I remember Mr. Bae giving me the blanket and the pillow and then…I had the weirdest dream."

"Dream?" she asked. "What of?"

"I was being chased by something and I fell in a river," I said.

"Sounds like something you would do," she said. "And how did you get in Derek's bed?"

"I don't know," I said, "Maybe I was sleepwalking."

"Uh huh," she said, "then why didn't Derek wake you up and send you back downstairs?"

"How am I supposed to know?" I asked.

Beth got this look on her face and she said, "Are you wearing anything?"

I sat up and my eyes widened when I saw what I was wearing. My pajamas were gone and in their place was a t-shirt that was too big on me.

"Oh my God," she said. "You don't think that you guys…you know."

"Oh God," I said, my head falling in my hands. "We couldn't have. I mean, I would have remembered it, right?"

"Well, it's not like I have much experience there," she said. "But it would explain why you're in Derek's bed and why you're wearing his shirt."

"Oh, this is not good," I said, "What am I supposed to do?"

"Talk to him," Beth said.

"I can't," I said, "I don't even know if that's what happened. He probably already thinks I'm crazy. He'll think I'm loony bin material if I go up and ask him if we had sex last night."

"You have a point. Well, you're just gonna have to ask him without being too obvious," she said.

"How am I supposed to do that?" I asked.

"I don't know, but you're going to have to do it," she said. "Now, I suggest you get dressed and go downstairs."

"Get dressed in what?" I asked.

She pointed to the door and I looked over to see my bag sitting there. Confused, I got up and walked over to it. I unzipped it to see all my stuff there, minus the pajamas I was wearing last night. I looked over at Beth, questioning, but she just shrugged and left the room to give me privacy. I reached into the bag and grabbed something to wear. Dressing quickly, I left the bag where it was, not knowing what else to do with it.

When I stepped out into the hall, I took a deep breath and made my way downstairs. I could hear voices in the kitchen. Simon and Tori were clearly arguing over something. I couldn't hear Derek, but that didn't mean he wasn't there. _Okay, I can do this. Just walk in and pretend that nothing happened. _I took one step and then another until I was in. Simon looked over at me and smiled.

"There's cereal on the counter," he said, pointing to a box of Lucky Charms. I nodded at walked over, ignoring the tall boy leaning against that very counter, eating an apple. I could feel his eyes on me as I poured myself a bowl of cereal. I walked over to the table and sat down next to Simon.

"So, how did you sleep?" he asked, looking over at me.

"Alright," I said, not knowing if it was exactly a lie or not.

"Good," he said. "I thought after breakfast we could work on redoing our notes. I can't really read any of the old ones, but Derek can, so he's going to help."

At the mention of Derek's name, my breathing faltered. _He's going to be working with us? _I tried not to give my anxiety away as I nodded as said, "Okay."

"Apparently Derek actually did find us dead stuff to study, so we can do that too if we have time," he said. "If not, we can do that tomorrow."

"Sounds good," I said, staring down at my bowl.

"You guys are disgusting," Tori said, getting up and putting her empty bowl in the sink.

"No, we're academic," Simon said. I smiled at that and looked up to see Tori roll her eyes and walk out. "She'll be gone, soon, so we won't have to put up with her."

I nodded and spooned the last of my cereal into my mouth at the same time as Simon. We got up and put our bowls into the sink. Our stuff was still in the kitchen, so we went to the table and started working. We each grabbed a ruined sheet of paper and tried to copy it. It was proving really difficult and after the first half hour, I only had 'the'. Simon wasn't any better off and was basically staring at his paper with a blank expression. I was about to suggest we switch papers when I heard the chair next to me pulled out. I didn't dare look over because I knew exactly who it was. I couldn't help but look over when I saw his hand reach out and grab one of the sheets. He pulled it in front of him and started writing. I looked up at his face, but he was concentrating on his paper.

After another hour of deciphering, I had successfully completed an entire page. Derek had done about five pages, while Simon was in third place with a sentence.

"Okay," Simon said, "My hand is cramping."

"You've written a sentence," Derek said.

"Yeah, well that's one _complete _sentence," he said, "You're forgetting how many times I had to erase."

Derek gave him a look that said 'are you kidding me?' Simon opened his mouth to answer when the phone rang. He got up and walked out of the room to find the phone. When he left, Derek reached over and grabbed his sheet and started deciphering it. I stopped writing and looked over at him. _Okay, I can do this. We're alone and now's the perfect time._

"What?" he said, making me jump.

"Huh?" I asked.

He didn't look up from his work when he said, "You're staring at me and you've been staring at me. What?"

"Oh…I…um," I started, not knowing what to say. "It's just that…"

I had no idea what to say. I mean, how do you ask someone if you slept with them? I looked away from his face and down at his notes. What I saw made me sit up and say, "Hey."

"Now what?" he said, actually looking up.

"Your handwriting," I said.

"Your point?" he said.

I looked up at him and said, "You did my math homework."

He looked down at his paper and back up. "So?"

"Why?" I asked.

"It was with my stuff and I figured you didn't want an F, so I did it," he said.

"You wrote down all the steps," I said.

"You didn't understand it," he said.

"Thank you," I said, amazed that he would do something so considerate.

"You're welcome," he said, looking down and starting to write again.

"You're really smart," I said.

"Not really," he said, not looking up.

"You got all the problems right," I argued.

"I'm a grade ahead of you," he said.

"Still, it's not like I remember everything from my last year's math class," I said.

"I kinda figured," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

He looked up and said, "You suck at math."

"Then teach me," I blurted out. My face heated up when I realized what I said.

"What?" he asked.

I took a breath and said, "Teach me what I'm doing wrong."

"Why not just get a tutor?" he asked.

"You could be my tutor," I said. "You know what you're doing and I wouldn't feel as stupid if you helped me because you're not a stranger and you already know how much I suck at math."

"And you assume I have time?" he said.

"Well, you said that Simon and Tori both stuff after school, so you don't have to drive them and you already stay after school to work on the dance and that's only three days a week," I said, hoping it sounded logical.

Before he could answer, Simon came back into the room and said, "Hey, D, did you hear about the dance?"

Derek looked up and said, "No, but seeing how you're in a good mood, I'd say it's back on."

"Yep," he said, plopping down in his seat. "That was Jake calling about practice and it reminded me about the dance. We had an assembly yesterday and I guess the principal figured out he was just overreacting."

"That doesn't mean he isn't still looking for whoever broke into the school," I said. "Maybe he just wants to make the guy feel like he got away with it. And then out of nowhere…boom! Expulsion."

Simon laughed and got up, saying he had to use the bathroom. Derek looked over at me, a small smile at the corner of his mouth at my comment and said, "You watch too many cop shows."

"That would be cop movies thank you very much," I said, "And there is no such thing as too many movies."

"Well, I'm only guessing," Derek said, "But I'd bet you know at least five movies by heart and can say every line."

"A lot more than five," I said.

"That, Saunders, it what professionals call obsessive," he said.

"I'm not obsessive, I'm passionate," I said.

"And apparently still in denial," he said.

"It is not denial," I said.

"Now you're contradicting yourself," he said, looking back down at his paper.

I had no idea how to react to that. He was getting me angry, so I grabbed my biology textbook and swung it, hitting the back of his head. He jerked and his head shot up. He looked at me, clearly pissed off. I reached out and ripped the book from my hands.

"What the hell was that for?" he demanded.

"You're pissing me off," I said.

"So you hit me with a textbook?" he asked like I was crazy.

"Yes," I said. I reached out and tried to grab the book, but he pulled away and my hand hit his arm. "Give it back."

"No," he said. He lifted it a little higher out of my reach. I reached a little higher, but it was still too high. I kept reaching until I could finally reach it. When I grabbed for it, my hand touched his and a shock went through me. I looked down and realized I was looking straight down at him. Without realizing I was doing it, I had apparently crawled onto his lap for a better reach. Now one of my legs was leaning over his and our hands were still reached up. I looked up from his lap and our eyes met. We stared at each other for a minute before I shifted my leg and slipped. My leg turned and I turned ninety degrees so that I was now straddling his lap. When I did, I accidentally bumped his arm and the textbook came crashing down on both of our heads, sending me backwards so that my back hit the table behind me. I heard the book hit the floor, but I was too busy cradling my head. I heard Derek groan and I looked up to see him rubbing his head.

"Are you okay?" I asked, freaking out. "Where did it hit you?"

"Oh, now you worry about my head, but apparently when it's you swinging the book, it doesn't matter," he muttered.

"I'm sorry," I said. I leaned forward for a better look and said, "Here, let me look."

He reached out and grabbed my wrist to stop me. "It's fine."

"You might be seriously injured," I protested.

"I wasn't the only one to get hit," he pointed out.

"But you got hit twice," I said. He wouldn't let go of my wrist, though, and I looked down to tell him to let me look when our eyes met again. This time, however, I was directly above him. My heart went into overdrive and my breathing stopped altogether. I slowly leaned down a bit and waited to see what he wanted. He leaned up a little and waited. I glanced back up at his eyes briefly and leaned down farther, my lips just over his. He leaned up and his lips gently touched mine.

**Ain't I a stinker? But I promised to have this chapter up and I couldn't help it. I was originally going to end it after Derek's POV, but I went farther. **


	16. What Are You?

**Well, I'm pretty sure I ticked some people off with that last chapter. I love doing that. Honestly, I wasn't going to end it there. I had originally planned on making it longer. However, I also hadn't planned on having that end scene either, so you guys decide which is better. Because of that scene, this chapter is different than I had originally had planned but it will end how I had planned. I really debated over whose point of view I was going to make this in. In the end, I decided to mimic last chapter. I want to get to at least 580 with this chapter. If I get 580, I'll update when I get that review. If not, I'll update next on the 29. **

**I also wanted to give a special thanks to suzi1811 for keeping me on track.**

**The answer to the last riddle was a sun bath.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

_What is drawn by everyone without a pen or pencil?_

DPOV

"Oh my God!" Tori screeched behind us. Above me, Chloe's head shot up and she scrambled off my lap. The only thing going through my mind at that point was _she better sleep with one eye open. _

"I-I-I," Chloe stuttered, obviously lost for words.

"This is a kitchen, not a bedroom," Tori said, covering her eyes and walking out of the kitchen. I took the opportunity to sneak out while Chloe was in shock. I knew she'd come out of it soon and start apologizing. And frankly, I didn't want to hear an apology. I didn't want to hear she was sorry for kissing me. I wanted to finish that kiss. Of course, because Tori can't keep her mouth shut, that's not going to happen. At least, not until Chloe calms down enough to process anything. As I passed the bathroom, Simon opened the door and said, "What was the yelling about?"

"Tori," I said, walking past him and up the stairs. I went straight to my room and shut the door, locking it behind me. Once in my room, I allowed my temper to flare. _Why do I have to live with her? I'd rather live in a cardboard box in an alley somewhere. _I walked over to my bed and sat down, leaning my head in my hands. _So close. I was so close. If she had just been a few seconds later. _I took a deep breath to try and steady myself, but vanilla flooded my senses and my eyes shot open. _Shit, she slept in here. _I went to the window and retched it open. I stuck my head outside and took a deep breath, ignoring the cold. My room now smelled of vanilla. And not just vanilla, the vanilla that smelled distinctly of Chloe. Every fiber of my being was telling myself that I'd gone too far. I should have stopped her when she crawled onto my lap. But a miniscule part of me was telling the bigger part to go to hell. And strangely enough, I was siding with the smaller part. As much as I had told myself that I wouldn't let it go anywhere, now that it had started, I wasn't about to stop it. Even though I had only touched her lips for a second, had only gotten a small taste of the small, blond necromancer, I wanted more.

Of course, there was a flaw in my math. A relationship consisted of two people, and I was only one half of that two. The other half was downstairs in the kitchen, probably working on her science project with Simon. My wants were nothing if her wants weren't the same. She _was_ the one who had initiated everything, so she must want it at least a little bit. Now, I just had to see how much she wanted it. And there was the little problem of last night. I was surprised when she didn't automatically come downstairs and demand to know what happened. And I can understand that ignoring me is a justifiable reaction, but she seemed almost embarrassed. _About what?_ _What was embarrassing about last night? I mean, I did see under her shirt, but it was only for a second and she was wearing a bra, so it's not like a really saw anything. It was like she wearing a bathing suit. And I didn't see anything lower. I made sure of that. _

I brought my head back into my room and rested it on the window ledge. Cold air was still blowing into my room, but I kept the window open. I had another problem. If Simon found out that I had kissed Chloe, even for a second, he'd have a field day. He'd never let me not ask Chloe to that stupid dance. And worse yet, he'd get Tori to help and she is ten times worse than he is. She'd tell Dad about it and he'd make a big deal out of it. He would insist that I go. I keep trying to explain to Simon that I do NOT want to go, but he doesn't understand it. To him, it's another opportunity for a date and just another school activity. To me, it's endless hours of boredom with me sitting at some table babysitting their stuff and counting the seconds until I blow my brains out. I can be just as bored at home. But knowing Dad, if he was told about it, there was no way I could stay home. He already knows that I'm being forced to help set up the dance and if he knew that I liked Chloe, he would say how it would be such a waste if I didn't go. _That cardboard box is looking really good right about now._

A knock at my door brought me back to reality. I looked over at it, but I made no move to open it. There was a second knock and I heard Dad say, "It's me."

I got up and walked over, unlocking it and turning the knob. Dad stood on the other side, holding a small colored pencil case. The same colored pencil case that was supposed to be in the possession of the school principal. "Damn."

"I think damn is a good reaction," he said. "Now, do you want to tell me why I'm holding this case? Or why I got a call from your principal telling me I had to go to your school and pick it up?"

"Bad luck," I offered.

"Derek," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Two weeks. We've been here two weeks and you're breaking into a school in the middle of the night."

"I had a reason," I said.

"Which was?" he asked.

I cringed and said, "I was kinda hoping you wouldn't ask that."

"Was it a good reason?" he asked.

"I thought so," I said.

"Did it have anything to do with changing your grades or stealing?" he asked.

"No," I said.

"I was afraid you were going to say that," he said. "Why can't I have normal kids who break into school to vandalize school property?"

"It's not like I was the only one," I said, "Simon was there too."

"Of course he was," he said. "You know what, tell me later."

He turned around and started walking down the hall. He stopped and turned around, "Just tell me that Tori isn't in any way involved."

"Define involved," I said.

"I need a beer," he groaned. He shook his head and continued down the hall. When he had gotten to the stairs, I called after him, "Does this mean I'm not in trouble?"

He just waved his hand and walked down the stairs. His last question had reminded me of the files that Tori was supposed to be decrypting. I walked a few doors down and knocked on hers. She opened her door and said, "Done scarring me for life?"

"Drop it," I said.

"You were the one making out with Blondie at the kitchen table," she said, "Doesn't it bother you that we eat there?"

"No, it really doesn't," I said. "But like I said, drop it. I need to know how far you've gotten on those files."

"Oh, those," she said, "I'm halfway done."

"Show me," I said.

She moved aside so that I could come in. I walked in and she shut the door. She walked over to her bed and picked up her laptop. I watched her insert the flash drive and start typing something. After a few minutes, she stopped and turned her laptop. I walked over and sat on her bed, looking at the screen. The half that she had decrypted was the school roster. And like I had seen the other night, each student has a supernatural race under their information. I scrolled down to Simon and read his:

Name: Simon Bae

Age: 16

Grade: 11

Race: Sorcerer

I did the same for Tori.

Name: Victoria Enright

Age: 16

Grade: 10

Race: Witch/Sorcerer

I was convinced with after reading Tori's that the list was accurate. The fact that they have that she is both a witch and a sorcerer shows that they are thorough. It also was enough to convince me that there was something going on at that school. Diane was definitely there for a reason, and so were we. The entire school was. There are such things as supernatural schools, they are just very rare. However, that kind of school was designed to teach Supernaturals, so there was something different going on here.

"So, is there a reason for the fourth category?" Tori asked, filing her nails.

"Obviously," I said, without my usual sarcasm. "I just don't know yet what it is."

"Maybe it has something to do with the papers," she said.

"What papers?" I asked, looking up at her.

"The papers you gave me when you gave me the flash drive," she said. "You know, the list of names."

"I forgot about those," I said. "Did you find anything on those?"

"Like I said," she answered, "They are a list of names. I was going to crosscheck them with the names on the computer, but I got distracted."

"Let me do it," I said, "I need something to keep my mind occupied."

She nodded and walked over to her desk. I watched her take a key out of a box and unlock to bottom drawer. I didn't know what she had in the drawer that she needed to keep locked away, but I wasn't about to ask. She grabbed some papers which were paper clipped together and relocked the drawer. When she got back to the bed, I waited for her to take out the flash drive. After it was out, she handed both the flash drive and the papers to me and ushered me out of her room. I was used to being shoved from her room, so I didn't complain when she did it this time. Instead, I went into my room and set the stuff on my desk. When a cold breeze blew against my face, I looked out my window at the snow covered world outside. That's when I remembered I still needed to get my wallet. I had a pretty good idea where it was and why it was there.

Walking out of my room, I continued down the hall and down the stairs. As I passed by the bathroom, like before, it opened. However, this time somebody else came out. When she saw me, her face automatically heated up and greatly resembled a tomato. I could hear her ragged breathing. As I got closer to the bathroom, she started to look a little panicked. When I passed by her, I just nodded and continued. I wasn't ready for that conversation just yet. When I got to the door, I grabbed my jacket and pulled it on. Grabbing the doorknob, I turned and pulled. As evidenced by the cold wind upstairs, the temperature had definitely dropped. I zipped my jacket farther and started following my trial to the clearing. I could see a set of smaller footprints going in only one direction. _If only she hadn't followed me._

Once I was at the clearing, I pushed through and saw that little, brown leather object that was my wallet lying in the middle. The only possibility for how they got from my pocket to the ground was that it was the object that Chloe had been looking at the night before. When I scared her she must have dropped it. I walked over and picked it up, sliding it into my pocket. Looking around the clearing, I turned around and made my way back to the house.

CPOV (From the beginning.)

"Oh my God!" a voice screeched from the doorway. My head shot up and I saw Tori standing there. I scrambled off of Derek's lap and just stared at her, not knowing what to say. If I thought my heart was racing before, it was nothing compared to now. I saw Derek get up and leave out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to stop him, but I couldn't move.

"This is a kitchen, not a bedroom," she said, covering her eyes and walking out. I watched her leave and I covered my mouth with my hands. _Oh my God! I just kissed Derek! _I saw movement on the other side of the kitchen and turned my head. Beth was standing there with an expression on her face that I'm sure mirrored mine. Complete and utter shock.

"What was that about?" Simon asked, walking into the room.

I turned to him and said, "What was what about?"

"The yelling," he said.

"Oh, uh, just Tori," I said.

He got this weird look on his face before smiling and saying, "Yeah, well, that's what sucks about living with her."

I tried to smile back, but I'm sure it came out wrong.

"I, uh, have to use the bathroom," I said.

"Okay," he said, "I'll just be working."

I nodded and walked out. I didn't stop walking until I was in the bathroom with the door locked behind me. Once in, I leaned against the door and let out a shaky breath. _Oh my God. What did I just do? I just ruined everything! Now Derek's going to think I'm a slut or something. I mean, who just crawls onto somebody's lap and kisses them? _

"What just happened?" Beth asked, coming in the bathroom and standing in front of me.

"I think I just kissed Derek," I said, still coming to terms with it.

"Yeah, I saw that," she said, "I meant, why didn't you go after him?"

"After that?" I said, "Why would he talk to me?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked. "You guys kissed! Why wouldn't he talk to you?"

"Well would you want to talk to someone who practically forced themselves on you," I asked.

"Forced?" she said, "That didn't look forced to me. He wanted it, too. You should have seen the look on his face when Tori walked in. He was pissed that she interrupted."

"He was?" I asked.

"Totally," she said. "But to get back to the important part, you guys kissed!"

"It wasn't really a kiss," I said. "It was only for a second."

"Hey, I know kisses. And my friend, that was a kiss, second or not," she said. "He so likes you!"

"Well, for all I know, it might not have even been our first kiss," I said. "I still don't know how I got in his bed last night."

"I'm sure you were just sleepwalking," she said, waving her hand as if to blow it off.

"But you sa-"

"Never mind what I said before," she said. "After seeing that kiss, I know you guys didn't have sex."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Well, even though you don't remember last night, he's got to and that was definitely a first kiss," she said. "Trust me, I've had a lot of them."

"Well, that still doesn't explain what happened last night," I protested.

"Who cares," she said, "You guys kissed!"

She actually skipped out of the bathroom, leaving me alone with my thoughts. _It wasn't really a kiss, was it? It was only for a second. And I only got to feel his lips against mine a little bit. That doesn't count, does it?_ Groaning, I sank down onto my butt and dropped my head in my hands. _When did life get so complicated? Why couldn't it be like the old days, when boys were icky and they were afraid we were going to give them cooties? We didn't have to worry about grown up things, like kissing and dating. _But the truth was, second or not, I liked the kiss. It being my first, I didn't really know what to expect. I kind of expected myself to screw it up somehow, but it was nice. In fact, it was better than nice. One could almost call it perfect. Almost. There were some problems. The most important being it only lasted a second. I wanted more. At least a minute.

Sighing, I started to run my fingers through my hair. However, when I touched the edge of my hairline, I winced. I brought my left hand down to check for blood when I gasped. There was a cut running down the palm of my left hand. Seeing how I'm right handed, I must not have noticed earlier. I got up and walked over to the mirror. I lifted my hair so that I could see my hairline. The was another gash there. Curse my falling-in-face hair. _Why do I have cuts? What the hell _did _I do last night?_

I pulled my hair down so that nobody saw the cut. Once I was convinced it wasn't noticeable, I nodded to myself and unlocked the door. I opened it and the first thing I saw was the reason I was hiding in the bathroom. He was coming straight towards me, and as much as I hate to admit it, I started to panic. What if wanted to talk to me about what had happened? What would I say? I didn't have to panic too long, though, because he just nodded and walked past me. I watched him go to the front door and walk outside. I had a sudden déjà vu, but I shook it off and walked into the kitchen, where Simon was attempting to copy the last page of notes. He was staring pointedly at.

"I think I've almost got this word," he said. "It's either 'decomposition' or 'disposition.'"

"Well, seeing how our project is on dead things," I said, "I'd go with the first one."

"Good idea," he said. "I'm almost done with this sheet and we'll have everything copied. Then all we need to do is to study the dead things and make the presentation."

"And write our papers," I said, "But that can be done alone."

"Yeah," he said. "Too bad I can't have Derek do that for me too. Though, we both suck at English, so I guess that wouldn't work."

"Poor Simon," I said. "You have to do your homework."

"I know, it's hard, but I think I'll make it," he said, wiping away a fake tear.

"Want a tissue?" I asked.

"I think I'm good," he said, taking a deep breath. "Yup, I'm good."

I smiled and sat down in my seat, waiting for him to finish the notes. Surprisingly, it didn't take that long. When he finished the last period, he set the pencil down and said, "Okay, I need a break."

I looked at the clock and read 2:46. I turned back to him and asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Want to play a game?" he asked. "I feel like beating you."

"You're on," I said, "And you won't beat me."

He led me to the attic, which had a bunch of random boxes. I waited for him to find the right box. When his did, it took him another five minutes to figure out how to open said box. It took us another fifteen minutes picking a game. We settled on scrabble.

We played for a half hour before both of us were stumped. It was Simon's turn and he was determined to beat me. We were tied, so it was pretty much who got the next word won. He was staring at his tiles before smiling and spelling out f-o-o-s-e-d. I stared at it for a minute and said, "That is so not a word."

"Yes it is," he said.

"Than what does it mean?" I asked.

"Um…," he said.

"Exactly," I said.

"Hey, bro," Simon called over my shoulder, "Is this a word?"

I turned around to see Derek just entering the living room. I turned and faced the board while he walked over. He looked down and said, "No."

"Oh come on!" Simon said.

"Sorry," I said, "You still don't beat me."

"I think we're at a stalemate," Simon said.

"No," Derek said.

I looked up to see him looking at my tiles. "Do you see a word?"

"Hey," Simon said, "You can't help."

"I'm not helping, I'm assisting," he said, sitting down next to me on the floor. He grabbed two of my tiles and laid them on the board. I read them and said, "Zuz?"

"That is so not a word," Simon said.

"It's a Hebrew coin," he said.

"And how do you know that?" I asked.

"I read a book on coin collecting," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"I was bored," he said.

"Well, that's good enough for, cause I win," I said.

"No!" Simon said.

"Sorry, Bae," I said, "Looks like you lose again."

"Damn it," he said. "How about two out of three?"

"Sure," I said. "But you're going to lose again."

"We'll see about that," he said, "So, D, whose team are you on?"

"Chloe's," he said.

I looked over at him, confused, at the same time that Simon said, "What? What about the guy code?"

"You're on the other side of the table," he said. "And I'm already sitting down."

"You're taking her side because you're lazy?" Simon asked.

"Pretty much," Derek said.

Simon just shook his head and put the tiles in the bag and shaking it to mix them. Then he grabbed out his tiles and I grabbed out mine and the game began. This time, Simon was losing by even more because Derek knew a lot of weird words. Simon stared at his pieces, trying to find a word. Both me and Derek had to sit with a legs pulled up part way because we were in between the couch and the table. His leg leaned down a little and bumped mine a little. He straightened it, causing his leg to move closer to mine, practically touching it. I took a deep breath and leaned my leg into his so that it was resting on his. I waited for him to push it back, but he didn't. I looked over at him, but he was watching Simon. When Simon finally found a word, he laid it down and then Derek laid one down, starting the wait all over again. After about five minutes, my foot was falling asleep, so I moved it, accidently nudging Derek's foot. I stiffened until he nudged mine back. I peeked at him out of the corner of my eye, but he was looking at Simon again. I bit my lip and nudged his foot again. He nudged mine back. I smiled softly and relaxed. I wondered how far I could take this. I glanced down and saw his hand on the floor between us. I discretely put mine next to his, but not touching it. It was his turn. I waited for him to make a move, but he kept his hand were it was. When it was our turn again, Derek leaned forward to spell out a word, lifting his hand off the floor. I was slightly disappointed until he put his hand back down, setting it half on mine. I waited to see if he moved it, but he kept it there. I moved my hand a little closer so that his hand was over mine more. When I did, he curled his fingers though mine. My heart racing, I lost track of reality, only aware of his hand on mine, his leg against mine, and his foot touching mine lightly. I was drawn back into reality when he gently squeezed my hand. We were almost out of tiles and so was Simon.

"Okay," Simon said, "I give."

"Told ya," I said.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, smiling. "Want to watch a movie?"

"Sure," I said.

He got up and walked over to the TV. He leaned down to look at the movies.

"Any preferences?" he asked.

"No romantic comedies," I said.

"Alrighty then," he said, "I know, how about Nightmare on Elm Street."

"Which one?" I asked.

"The original," he said.

"Sure," I said.

Next to me, Derek stood up. I was wondering what he was doing until Simon said, "Get me a coke."

"K," he said. "Chloe?"

"Oh, um, coke's fine," I said.

I watched him walk out and then I turned and watched Simon turn the TV on and put the movie in. He walked over to the window and shut the curtains and then he shut off the lights. I almost laughed at his attempt to make the movie scarier. He sat down in his spot across the table. After a few minutes, Derek walked in with three cans and a bowl. He set a coke on the table and the bowl of popcorn. He handed me a coke and Simon a diet coke. I wondered at that but I didn't press. Derek sat down next to me again and Simon started the movie. Simon was concentrating on the movie and didn't notice when I scooted a little closer to Derek. He also didn't notice when our legs went back to leaning against each other or when my hand found its way back into Derek's. After seeing this movie many times, I knew when everything happened, including the scene when Tina is slashed. Even after watching it so many times, that scene still freaked me out a little bit. When it came up, I shrinked back a tiny bit. I felt Derek squeeze my hand. I leaned a little bit into him and his grip tightened a little. Enjoying the warmth of his hand, I didn't really pay attention to the rest of the movie.

By the time the movie was over, it was time to eat. It was pizza again because Mr. Bae was too busy to cook. I didn't mind, though. Pizza was good to me. Tori appeared for the meal, but surprisingly, she didn't say anything about earlier. She just ate and argued with Simon. Derek didn't say anything during the meal, but based on everyone else's reactions, I was guessing he never did. I didn't say anything either. Instead I just watched and listened.

After dinner, Simon and I started putting everything together for our presentation. We decided to do our presentation on a series of poster boards. We started on the first board, writing down the need-to-know information. Simon had found some pictures on the internet and printed them out. Some of them were really gross, but I couldn't resist gluing them on. Tori had walked in while we were working, took one look at our poster, and stated we were disturbed. We didn't care.

By the time we finished two posters, we were both yawning. We glued on the last picture and decided to call it a night. He set them on the table so they wouldn't get wrecked and headed upstairs. I was about to go into the bathroom to change when I remembered that my bag was in Derek's room. I walked up the stairs and headed towards Derek's room. When I got there, I noticed that my bag was sitting outside his door. I grabbed it and went back downstairs, heading for the bathroom. Shutting the door behind me, I unzipped my bag. I looked through all my clothes, but I couldn't find my pajamas from last night. I frantically searched again, but again they weren't there. I looked down at the backup pair, cringing at the thought of wearing them. _What if I'm seen? Oh, get a grip. Everybody's upstairs, asleep. Besides, I'll have a blanket over me._ I sucked it up and put them on. Five minutes later, I was curled up on the couch, falling asleep. I buried my head in my pillows and let myself be pulled into the darkness.

Three hours later, I was awake, staring at the ceiling, having a déjà vu. This was very similar to my dream last night, including the nagging feeling like there was something nearby and no matter what I did, the feeling wouldn't stop. Getting up, I decided to try and find whatever it was. I searched for a half hour before finding what it was. The feeling was really strong when I stood outside a closed door. Simon didn't show me this room, so I didn't know what it was. However, I had a weird feeling that I already knew what it was. I opened and door slowly and peered down into darkness. _Yep. The basement. Why is it always the basement? Why can't it ever be the sunny conservatory?_ I tried to find the light switch, but it being me, the light switch wasn't at the top, but at the bottom. _Crap._ I started down, making sure to keep my hand against the wall as I went down. When my foot hit bottom, I felt the light switch. I flipped it up and light flashed. It took me a minute for my eyes to adjust, and when they did, I looked around. There was a washer and dryer, a freezer, and more boxes. I closed my eyes and tried to find where the feeling was coming from. I kept my eyes closed as I walked forward. When the feeling was very strong, I opened my eyes. The freezer. _Of course it's the freezer. I'm probably going to find a dead body in there. _

I slowly opened it and saw just how right I was. But instead of _a _dead body, there were three. Not people, animals. Two of which looked fresh and the other was questionable. The fresh ones were a rabbit and a squirrel. I couldn't tell what the other one was. I leaned in and looked closer. It just looked like a dead pile of mangled fur. I concentrated, trying to figure out what it was. I jerked back. _Did it just move?_ I shook my head. _Of course not. Dead things don't move. Of course, they don't generally make that sound either._ I stiffened. The mangled fur _was _moving. And so was the other two. When the rabbit actually stood up and looked at me, I shrieked and slammed the freezer shut, jumping back and hitting something behind me. Me and the object fell backwards and hit the floor and it wasn't until I hurt a grunt that I realized the object was breathing. I opened my mouth to scream, but a large hand covered my mouth, causing me to freak out more and start lashing out. The person's arm wrapped around me and held me still. I tried to break free until I felt their warm breath against my ear and a deep voice saying, "It's me."

My heart slowed down and slumped against him in relief. He kept his arm around me and his hand over my mouth until he was satisfied I wasn't going to bolt. When I had finally calmed down, he took his hand off my mouth, but kept his arm around me, leaving me room to pull my arms out.

"You okay?" he asked.

I nodded but then thought twice, "There are dead things in your freezer."

"I know," he said.

I turned around to face him, "You know?"

"Yeah," he said, "I put them there."

"Why did you put dead animals in your freezer?" I asked.

"For you to study," he said. "I wasn't going to leave them outside for something to get them and they're frozen, so decomposition is slowed."

"Well, did you know you have moving dead things in your freezer," I said.

"That wasn't me," he said. "That was you."

"But I can't raise things," I protested.

"Have you ever tried?" he asked.

"Well, no," I said.

"Well, now the time to practice cause you have to release them," he said.

"Release…you can't be serious. I don't even know how I raised them!" I said.

"Well, you're just going to have to do it," he said. "We can't leave them like that."

"Why not?" I asked in a hopeful tone.

He gave me a look that told me why not. I sighed and said, "What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know," he said. "Try concentrating."

I nodded and closed my eyes. I really didn't know what I was supposed to be concentrating on, so I focused on the rabbit. In my mind, I watched it leave its body and fall. I switched to the squirrel. I repeated the process and did the same with the other one. Just as I was about to ask Derek if I was done, he whispered in my ear, "It's over."

I stopped and opened my eyes. When I did, I realized how much it took out of me and I leaned my head against Derek's chest, my ear against his heart. I could feel his breathing against my shoulder and I could hear his heartbeat, steady and strong. I opened my eyes and looked straight up. He was looking down at me.

"You okay?" he asked again.

I nodded and closed my eyes again. "How did you know what I am?"

"You raised the dead," he said. "It's not that hard to figure out."

"But you knew _I _did it," I said, looking back up at him. "How?"

He hesitated and said, "Because I already knew you're a necromancer."

"How?" I asked.

"I saw you talking to yourself in the library," he said.

"But any normal person would think I'm crazy…that means you're a…,"I said.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm different."

"What are you?" I asked.

He really hesitated this time. "What do you remember from last night?"

"I had a really weird dream that I was being chased in the woods and then I woke up in your bed," I said.

"That wasn't a dream," he said.

"What are you talking about?" I said.

"You followed me last night," he said.

"If it was real, then that thing that chased me was real too, right?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said. "What do you remember?"

"I followed you out there, but by the time I got there, you were gone. And then that thing showed up and scared me, so I ran. I remember running on a river and falling in," I said. "That happened didn't it?"

"It did," he said.

"Where did you go?" I asked.

"I didn't," he said, "I was there the whole time."

"But I didn't see you," I protested.

"Yes you did," he said.

"No, all I saw was th-" my eyes widened and I looked up at him. "That was a wolf wasn't it? That was you."

"That was me," he said.

"Then you're a…," I said.

"Werewolf," he finished for me.

It took me a few minutes to process what I had heard. _A werewolf. A real werewolf. That explains the abs. And the sneaking out. _"What about Simon?"

"He's a sorcerer," he said.

"That's why Tori called him Harry Potter," I said, finally getting it. I thought about for a second and said, "Is Tori a witch?"

"Yeah," he said. "How did you know?"

"When I first met Simon, Tori had interrupted and I said something about her being a witch and he said something about me not knowing how right I was," I explained.

"Oh," he said.

"What about your dad?" I asked, anxious to ask him tons of questions.

"He's a sorcerer," he said.

"Is that why Tori is a witch?" I asked.

"No," he said. "Sorcerer's can only have sons, who are also sorcerers. But Tori's mom is a witch, which is why she's one. Technically she's both."

"Is that even possible?" I asked.

"I guess," he said.

"So, when you change, you're an actual wolf, right?" I asked. "Did it have anything to do with the full moon last night?"

He scowled and said, "It has nothing to do with the full moon. That's just a bunch of Hollywood crap."

"When do you change then?" I asked.

"I have to at least once a week, though sometimes I can put it off for two," he said.

"Is that all you can do?" I asked. "Or do you have enhanced senses? Or is that just Hollywood crap too?"

"No, I have enhanced senses," he said, "I'm also stronger than normal people. What's with all the questions?"

"Well, I don't know anything about werewolves or sorcerers," I said. "I want to know everything."

"Maybe we could leave that for a more day time of the day," he said.

"But now I won't be able to sleep," I protested, "I have too much on my mind."

"Well, have other things on your mind," he said, "Sleep things."

"Like what?" I asked.

"I don't know, count sheep," he suggested, getting up.

"But then I'll be up all night counting sheep," taking his hand, which he had held out for me.

"You're too difficult," he said, going to the stairs.

"And I can't sleep downstairs," I said, "I can feel the dead things and it keeps me awake."

"Are you saying you want to sleep in my bed again?" he asked, turning around.

My face heated up and I said, "No, but…"

He sighed and said, "If I let you use my bed again, will you let me go to sleep?"

"Where will you sleep?" I asked.

"I'll sleep on the floor," he said. "Or on the couch like I did last night."

"Why did you sleep on the couch last night?" I asked.

"Because somebody was in my bed," he said.

"Oh, right," I said. "Why was I in your bed?"

"Because I didn't want Dad seeing you like that," he explained.

"Okay, then why was I in your shirt?" I asked.

"Because you were wet," he said.

"How did I get in your shirt?" I asked.

He stopped walking for that. He rubbed the back of his neck and said, "I, uh, put you in it."

I bit my lip and said, "How much did you see?"

"Nothing," he said. "Except…"

"Except what?" I asked.

"Well I had my eyes closed for the most part, but I had your head through the hole and I couldn't do that without looking. It was only for a second and I didn't see much."

"You promise?" I asked. I held out my pinky and he smiled. He shook mine with his and we continued to the stairs. He let me go up first and when I was at the top, he shut off the light, following me up. When we were walking to his room, he kept glancing at me sideways.

"What?" I asked.

"What are you wearing?" he asked.

I looked down and groaned. "My aunt bought them for me."

"You aunt bought those?" he asked as if I was crazy.

"Yeah," I said.

"Either she had no idea what she was buying or she has high hopes for you," he said.

I punched him lightly in the arm and said, "She thought they'd make me more grown up."

"Well, I'll give her that," he said. "Nobody would mistake you for a kid in those."

"Are you saying I look good or bad?" I asked.

"That's a trick question," he said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"If I say you look bad, you'll be offended. But if I say you look good, you're going to think I have a motive behind it," he said.

"So what's you answer?" I asked.

"Not applicable," he said.

I laughed softly and followed him up the stairs. When we got to his room, I went in first and he shut the door behind us. I watched him grab a pillow from the bed and a blanket from his closet and set them on the floor. I walked over to the bed. Derek shut off the lights and the room was immersed in darkness, except for the line of light which shown through the window. I was about to get in the bed when I felt Derek's presence next to me. I turned around to feel his lips press softly against mine. I moved closer and kissed him back. It was exactly like before, just as enjoyable. But his time, it was more than a second. I finally got to feel his lips press firmly against mine instead of just touching. I felt him run his hands lightly down my side and I ran my hands up his chest, finally getting to feel those abs which caused my current social nightmare. After a minute, his lips disconnected from mine and I could feel his warm breath against my lips.

"Night, Chloe," he whispered.

Breathless, I replied, "Night, Derek."

He let go of me and I watched him walk to his spot on the floor and lay down. I then actually got into the bed and drew the covers up, grinning the whole time. And that was it. Nothing was said about what we were to each other. No promises were made. I had no idea if we were dating, but I right now, I didn't care. I was lying in Derek's bed, surrounded by blankets which smelled like him and riding a high from that kiss. That unbelievable kiss.

"What can sorcerers do?" I asked.

In the darkness, Derek groaned.


	17. Are We Dating?

**Okay, so I know I said that I would update when I had up to 580 reviews, but I honestly didn't think I would get so many so fast. And I started this when I finished the other, but this weekend has been sort of hectic for me, so I didn't get the chance to write as much as I wanted. Anyway, sorry for the delay, and next time I say I'll update with so many reviews, I mean it because after this weekend, things should get a little easier for me now that midterms are over. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

I heard shuffling next to me, but I ignored it, burying my head farther into the pillow and pulling the blanket higher. The shuffling stopped and started falling asleep again. But, like yesterday, somebody felt my sleep wasn't important. And like yesterday, I was hit with a pillow again. This time, however, I wasn't nailed with it. Instead, I just landed on my head. I groaned and opened my eyes. I turned and looked to the floor, where Derek was lying with one arm under his head, watching me. He was suspiciously missing a pillow.

"Why did you wake me up?" I asked, sleepily.

"Because you should probably get downstairs before anybody notices that you didn't sleep on the couch last night," he said.

"Can't it wait five minutes?" I groaned, doing a face plant into the pillow.

"It's already 10:23," he said, "And Simon gets up around 10:30."

"He sucks," I said, into the pillow, my voice muffled. Derek obviously heard me, though, because he said, "Well, that's true, but I doubt you want him to know where you _actually_ slept."

"What if I do?" I asked, too sleepy to care what I was saying.

"Do you?" he asked.

I looked over at him and instead of answering him, I asked, "What are we?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Are we…dating?" I asked, shifting to that I was leaning on my elbow.

He sighed and said, "I don't know."

"Then what are we?" I asked.

"Honestly, I don't know," he said.

"Do you like me?" I asked, really hoping the answer was yes.

"Yes," he answered.

"I think I like you too," I said. "But I don't know what that means. I've never liked anyone before."

"I haven't either," he said.

"Well, in movies, when two people like each other, they generally date," I said, playing with a loose thread on the blanket.

"Publically?" he said.

I looked up and said, "You don't want to publically date me?"

"Not yet," he said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I don't want the attention," he said. "Right now, people think we're dating and look at all the trouble it's caused. I want to wait."

"Wait to date me or wait to announce it?" I asked.

"Announce it," he said.

"So, does that mean we can privately date?" I asked, looking up through my eyelashes.

He smiled a little and said, "I think I can manage that."

I smiled back, "So if we're privately dating, can call you my boyfriend? At least to myself."

"You have my permission," he said, still smiling. "And you should probably get up."

"What about you?" I asked.

"I don't have to," he said, "I wasn't expected to sleep on the couch last night."

"Bully," I said, jokingly. I threw the covers back and sat up, rubbing the sand out of my eyes.

"Nice hair," he said. "Very attractive."

I put my hand to my head and groaned. It was a giant knot. "Shut up."

I ran my fingers through, trying to de-knot it a little bit. Every so often I'd hit a rough spot and I'd accidently tug. "Ow."

"Here," Derek said, getting up. He sat down on the bed behind me and shooed my hand away from a particularly difficult knot. I expected it to hurt, by he was really gentle. I felt the occasional tug, but it wasn't hard like mine. I sat staring at the door for five minutes while Derek worked the knots out of my hair. When he was done, I turned around to thank him and my eyes met his bare chest. It was like in the gym, except this was his entire chest. My mouth went dry and I couldn't tear my eyes away. I'd seen a lot of guys with their shirts off when they went swimming and stuff, but I'd never seen a guy who looked like Derek. It was…wow. I was channeling Beth for this, but yum. I looked up at his face and saw that he was watching me with an amused look on his face.

"About done?" he asked. "Cause I can hear Simon getting up."

"Almost," I said. With that, I leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the lips before jumping back and off the bed. He rolled his eyes and said, "You know, I really like those pajamas."

I looked down and saw that my shirt had ridden up a little so that it should more of my stomach. "Pervert."

He just smiled and leaned back. I tried to fix my shirt, but it was caught from behind. I tried turning my head, but it didn't turn that far. "Want me to fix it?"

I sighed in frustration and said, "Fine."

I walked over to the bed and he scooted closer so that his legs were off the bed. I walked in between them and he reached behind me, grabbing my shirt, and tugging. With the one tug, my shirt fell the rest of the way down. It still showed at least an inch above my shorts and I tried to pull it down farther but it wouldn't budge.

"Your aunt seriously got those for you?" Derek asked, obviously having a hard time believing it.

"Yeah, right after I hit-" I stopped myself, embarrassed at what I almost said out loud. If he noticed, he was kind enough not to say anything.

"And her purpose?" he asked.

"I think she hoped I'd get a boyfriend," I said.

"What difference would pajamas make?" he asked. "Unless you're bringing him back to your room…or his room, whichever."

"Which wasn't her purpose," I said. "And wouldn't happen no matter who I dated because I'm only 16."

"Well, I hate to break it to you," he said. "But I'd look where you are."

"This doesn't count," I said. "I'm not going to be jumping you any time soon."

This weird look flashed over his face before he looked back up at me.

"What?" I asked.

"I'd rethink what you just said," he said.

Confused, I thought back, but I didn't understand, "What did I say?"

"Say the last three words to yourself again," he said.

I mouthed them to myself and then my face went beet red, "I-I didn't mean to imply…"

The look on his face shut me up and I hit his arm lightly, "You just wanted to embarrass me."

"Sorry," he said.

"I don't think you are," I said, taking a step back. Joking, I said, "and because you insist on embarrassing me, I'm going to go."

He didn't stop me as I walked to the door. When I reached for the door, someone on the other side knocked. I froze and turned around to see Derek gesturing me to get behind the door. I didn't understand what he was talking about until he got up and gestured reaching for the door. I got it then and hid behind the door while he opened it.

"Hey bro," Simon said, "Where are the animals?"

"The freezer in the basement," he said.

"Why did you put them in the freezer?" he asked.

From behind the door, I silently laughed. Derek discreetly moved his foot around the door and kicked me gently. I kicked him back.

"Because otherwise they would stink," he answered.

"Good plan," Simon said, "Thanks."

I heard him walk off and Derek shut the door. He gave me a half-hearted glare and walked over to the closet. I watched him take out a shirt. Without turning around, he said, "Are you planning on watching me dress?"

"If I say yes, do I get to stay?" I asked, kidding.

"No," he said.

"Damn," I said. "And I was looking forward to it."

"Goodbye, Chloe," he said, still not turning around.

"Good morning, Derek," I answered and left. I made sure nobody was around and I went down the stairs and directly into the bathroom. My bag was still sitting in the corner, so I grabbed it and found a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. My pajamas from the other night had mysteriously found their way into my bag, but I'd guess that had something to do with werewolf upstairs. _Werewolf. That sounds so weird. Just yesterday he was the boy that sat next to me in English who I was trying to get a date with. Today, he was a werewolf, who just happened to my new boyfriend. There's another strange word. Boyfriend. Wow. _I shook my head and looked into the mirror, making sure the cut was still covered. I might now know where it came from, but I didn't really want to explain it to Simon. _Simon. Does he count as the public? I mean, he's Derek's brother. Wouldn't Derek want Simon to know? Or maybe I shouldn't tell him. I'd let Derek do it, if he wanted to. _

Opening the bathroom door, I walked out into the hallway just as Simon was walking out of the kitchen.

"There you are," he said, "I was just about to come looking for you."

"Just getting decent," I said.

"So Derek put the animals in the freezer downstairs and I don't think my dad wants us to examine dead things on the kitchen table so we'd better do that downstairs," he said.

"Well, you eat dead things at the kitchen table," I said.

"Yeah, but their usually less bloody," he said.

"What about steaks that are rare?" I asked.

"That's a good point," he said. "But then again, I doubt he wants us to get the blood on the table and we have to finish our posters there, so maybe not."

"Darn," I said. "Our plans are foiled."

"One of these days," he said. "So, breakfast first, then homework."

"Okay," I said. "My dad is picking me up around 5, so that gives us around seven hours."

"That's plenty on time," he said.

He turned around and I followed him into the kitchen. I waited by the counter as he got the stuff, seeing how I didn't know where it was. He handed me a bowl and a spoon and he carried the cereal and milk to the table. I sat down and poured myself a bowl and started eating. After a few minutes, Tori came into the kitchen. I looked over at her to see her giving me this knowing look. I felt a shiver good down my spine. It was the same kind of evil smile a villain gets in a movie. When Simon turned to see what I was looking at, she just turned away and walked right back out of the kitchen.

Just as we were finishing up, Derek walked into the kitchen. He didn't look at me as he grabbed a bottled water and an apple and walked back out. _So I guess that means Simon is public._

"Ready?" Simon asked, drawing me out of my thoughts.

"Lead the way," I said. I followed him until we reached the basement door and then I remembered what I did last night. "Um…maybe we should get Derek to help us."

"Why?" Simon asked.

"Well, he knows more about this stuff, doesn't he?" I asked.

Simon's face lit up. "You're right. He does. Wait here."

I watched him leave and breathed out a sigh of relief. It wasn't that I was scared to go down in the basement. Of course not. But after what happened down there last night, I might be a little uncomfortable. I heard talking coming from down the hallway followed by an angry sigh. I watched as Simon came around the corner, followed by Derek, who didn't look like he appreciated being used as an encyclopedia. I almost laughed at the grumpy look on his face. I held back though. When they got to the door, we let Derek go down first so that he could turn on the light. Simon went down next, with me bringing up the rear. I stayed back as they went to the freezer to retrieve the animals.

When Simon looked in at them, he said, "Geez, it looks like they were trying to get out. You sure they were dead?"

Derek gave him a look and Simon held up his hands saying, "Kidding."

I watched at Derek reached in and for a second, I was worried that he was actually going to just reach in and grab them. I wasn't exactly the squeamish type, but there was something about grabbing at dead animals that had been frozen that just grosses me out. I didn't have to worry though, because he grabbed out a board of wood, which they had been laying on…which I had completely missed the first time. Oops. He set them on top of the freezer.

"Cool," Simon said. Gesturing to the third animal, he asked, "What's that one?"

"A weasel," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh," Simon said. He gave me a look saying 'did you know that?'

I just shrugged and walked over. I looked on the board to see the things I had raised last night. There was the rabbit, the squirrel, and …the weasel apparently. I looked at it a little closer but I couldn't find anything that looked remotely weasel. Derek backed up and I thought it was too give us more room, but then he turned around and headed for the stairs.

"Hey," Simon said, "where are you going?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said, he turned around and looked at me and said, "I'm leaving the basement."

I was torn between glaring at him for making fun at me or laughing. I chose to just smile.

"I thought you were going to help," Simon accused.

"You asked me to get the dead animals out of the freezer, that's all," he said, turning to go once more.

"But I don't know anything about studying dead things," Simon complained.

"Well, now's the perfect time to learn," he said.

"But Chloe needs help, too," Simon said, last minute. I was going to ask why he brought me into the argument, but Derek turned around and glared at Simon. Not just 'annoyed' glared, but 'you're going to pay for that' glared. I didn't understand what was going on between them, but Derek came back to the freezer, and leaned against the wall.

"Good," Simon said. "I'll be right back. I'm gonna get the stuff."

I watched him sprint up the stairs and disappear. I turned to Derek and asked, "What was that about?"

"Nothing," he said.

I knew he was hiding something, but I didn't press. "Does Simon count as the public?"

"Yeah," he said, his arms crossed.

"And Tori?" I asked, "Because I think she already knows."

"Well, she did walk in on us yesterday," he said.

"I know, but she walked into the kitchen this morning and gave me this look," I said.

"Did she say anything?" he asked.

"No, but I think that's because Simon was in the room," I explained. "If she knows, is she going to tell Simon?"

"Probably," he said. "It depends, though, on what she's going to do."

"Meaning?" I asked.

"She's going to hold it against me," he said, "I just don't know how."

"So, what do I say to Simon about the whole…sorcerer thing?" I asked.

"I'll tell him later," he said.

"Okay," I said, looking up as Simon came down the stairs.

"Got everything," he said. "Okay, so let's do pictures first."

We spent the next hour taking pictures and 'studying' the animals. We didn't really know what we were studying, but Derek suggested identifying what stage of decomposition they were at, so we went from there. I wouldn't touch the dead things and after seeing the eyeball fall out of the squirrel's socket, neither would Simon. Derek, however, was a different story. He didn't mind and was pissing off Simon by calling him a wimp. He refrained from calling me anything, though, and I didn't know whether or not it was because I was a girl and being grossed out was natural, or that he liked me. When we had just about all the information we needed, Kit called Simon upstairs, saying he had a phone call, leaving me and Derek alone with the dead rodents. Oh joy. I grabbed a pen and poked at the rabbit. Derek turned and gave me a weird look.

"What?" I asked.

"Why are you poking it?" he asked.

"It seemed like the thing to do," I said.

"Making sure it wasn't going to move?" he asked.

I didn't answer. So maybe I was still a little freaked out. So sue me. Derek reached out and grabbed the pen from my hand, sliding his hand down until it was around mine.

"It's not going to move," he said. I nodded but didn't move my hand.

"It still kinda freaks me out," I confessed.

"And there's something wrong with that?" he asked. "You raised dead animals. I'd be worried if you weren't the least bit freaked."

I looked up at him and smiled. "So why can't we even tell Simon?"

"Because Simon has the biggest mouth of anybody I know," he said, "Tell him and the whole school will know in a second."

"Maybe he'll keep it to himself," I said, sounding hopeful. I got a look in return. I turned to face the freezer and I leaned back into Derek.

"So, how far can you hear?" I asked.

"Up to the second floor," he said.

"Does it get annoying?" I asked.

"Yeah," he answered, "I have to listen to Simon and Tori snoring every night."

I laughed and said, "Do earplugs help?"

"Not really," he said. "With earplugs I can only hear up to the first floor, but I can still hear a lot."

"Is there a spell or something that your dad could do to help?" I asked. "I don't know if anything like that exists."

"He can do a spell to make it so that I can't hear anything outside my room, but then I can't even hear a knock on the door," he explained.

"Oh," I said. "So, about that math thing…"

"What math thing?" he asked.

"You know, about you tutoring me in math," I said, looking up at him.

"I never agreed to that," he said.

"That's the point," I said. "Will you? I really need it and you already know how bad I am."

"I'm not good at tutoring," he said, "Dad made me help Simon with science when we were in sixth grade and I ended up hitting him with the book."

"Well, he's your brother," I said. "That's different."

"How's that different?" he asked.

"Because deep down you probably already wanted to hit him," I said, "And I'll really try to understand it, I promise. Please."

He groaned and leaned his head on my shoulder. "Why do I get myself into these things?"

"Is that a yes?" I asked.

A sigh of frustration and he said, "Yeah."

I pulled away from him and jumped at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him. When I turned my head, he found my lips.

"Why are there dead things on my freezer?" a voice asked. We jumped apart and I turned to see Kit standing at the bottom of the stairs with his arms crossed. I would have started stuttering an explanation if he was currently fighting a smile.

Derek cleared his throat and said, "Simon."

"Of course," Kit said, sounding like it explained everything. "Just make sure he cleans up when he's done with them."

We watched hit walk up the stairs. I turned to look at Derek but he was still watching the door. A second later, Simon came through the door and down the stairs.

"Okay, so now we just have to finish the posters, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "I think there are two more posters."

"Good," he said. "Cause the animals are starting to stink."

"Finally," Derek said. "I can leave. Oh, and Dad said clean up when you're done."

Simon looked from Derek to the freezer and said, "Are you serious?"

"Uh huh," he said, going up the stairs.

"Well, what am I supposed to do with them?" he yelled up after him, getting no answer. He turned to me and I shrugged. "I'll do it later. Come on, let's go to work."

I grabbed the camera and followed him up the stairs. We went into the kitchen and I sat down and waited for Simon to grab the supplies. When he did, we got to work. It went a lot faster this time because we actually knew what we were doing. We did have to take a half hour break so that Simon could print off the pictures, but then we got back to work. Tori came in once and her reaction was the same as last night. Kit came in a few times to see how we were doing and he just shook his head and left. Apparently he didn't appreciate the fine art of death. By the time 5:00 came around, we had finished our posters and had started our individual reports. When my dad knocked on the door, I gathered my things and walked to the front door.

"Oh," I said, "I forgot something upstairs. I'll be right back."

I ran up the stairs and walked down the hall to Derek's room, not even bothering to knock. He was sitting at his desk leaning over his laptop and didn't turn around when I walked in.

"I'm leaving," I said.

"I heard," he said, still not turning around.

"I wanted to say goodbye," I said.

"See you tomorrow," he answered.

"Do you mean it this time? Because last time you said that, you didn't come to school," I said, my hands on my hips.

"I'll be at school," he said, turning around.

"Good," I turned around to open the door but I paused for a second, knowing what was coming. I turned around to see Derek standing behind me. He leaned down for a quick kiss and then let me go. I have to admit, I was afraid my legs were going to give out on the way downstairs. But I held up and made it. Saying goodbye, I walked out the door with my dad and into the car. I looked over my shoulder to see Beth sitting in the back seat, completely ignoring me. When I tried to discreetly get her attention, she continued to ignore me. _What's wrong with her? _

**Okay, so I'm sorry that this is late. I finally got my school stuff straightened out and I now have time to write. I wanted to finish this earlier, but after having to wait a few days, I really fell out of the writing mood, so I'm sorry that this chapter isn't as good as the others. They next will be better, I promise. After reading reviews, I should be back in the writing mood. **


	18. Sign Of The Apocalypse

**Okay, so for some reason, I'm still not really in the writing mood, but I'll get there. I just have to write a few more chapters and then I'll there. Anyhoo, I was originally going to have this chapter in Chloe's POV. However, a lot of you wanted it in Derek's POV, so I wasn't sure what I was going to do. But thanks to Charm1997, I have made up my mind. This will be a two part chapter. Technically, it will be the same school day from two different POVs. The first will be in Derek's POV, the second in Beth's. **

**It occurred to me that I completely forgot to put a riddle for the last chapter or even answer the riddle for the chapter before that. Oops. Anyway, the answer to the last riddle was a breath, but I also took a conclusion because that answer never occurred to me. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers. **

_What asks no question but demands an answer?_

My eyes shot open. _Was that a knock?_ Listening for a second longer, I shrugged and closed my eyes again, falling back asleep. There was a second knock and I lifted my head to read the clock. 5:30. _What the hell?_ I pulled back the blanket and got up, walking to the door and trying to fall asleep on the way there. Opening the door, I had to stop myself from glaring at Dad on the other side.

"What?" I asked, yawning.

"I'd like to talk to you," he said.

"Now?" I asked. "It's 5:30 in the morning."

"Well, I've got to leave for work early and I didn't want to be interrupted by anyone."

Groaning, I moved aside to let him walk into my room. He remained standing while I went and sat on my bed. "And?"

"About the colored pencils," he said, "How did they get in the principal's office?"

I was hesitant to answer and he said, "I've already come to terms with that fact that you broke into school. I just want to know why? Were you stealing something?"

"We wanted information," I said. "Answers."

"What did you need answers for?" he asked.

"There's something wrong about that school," I said. "And before you say it's just me looking for trouble, it's not. I have proof."

"Is this physical proof or a feeling," he asked.

"Physical," I said. "I saw Diane the other day."

He stiffened and sat up straight. "Diane Enright?"

"Yeah," I said, "She's our new vice principal. She arrived only a week after we started. That can't be a coincidence. Plus, we found files that say the students are Supernaturals."

He nodded and said, "Who knows about this?"

"Me, Tori, Simon, and you," I said.

"Let me work on it before you go any further," he said.

"But-"

"Derek, trust me," he said, "This could be important. It's best that you don't get any more involved than you already are. I don't want you getting hurt."

I didn't ask him how exactly I could get hurt, but I said, "There's something else I need to tell you."

"Does this have anything to do with the school?" he asked.

"Kinda, and kinda not," I said.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Chloe knows what we are," I said. His head snapped up and he said, "Derek, out of all three of you, I trusted you to keep that secret."

"I didn't really have a choice," I said. "Chloe raised the animals and how else was I sup-"

"Hold on," he said, holding up his hands, "Chloe raised the animals?"

"Yeah, she's a necromancer," I said.

"But she's only sixteen," he said, "Even if she was highly trained, she wouldn't be capable of reanimation until she was older."

"Well, I don't know how to explain it, but she did," I said, "And she released them, too."

"That is very advanced," he said, almost to himself. He looked up at me and said, "How much does she know?"

"Well, she knows what we are and I just answered her questions," I said. I hesitated and asked, "Am I allowed to answer any more of her questions?"

"Of course," he said, "She deserves to know. But make sure she's the only one who knows."

I nodded and he stood up. He walked to the door and paused, turning back around, "Does Simon have a girlfriend?"

"He has a date," I said, "But no, he doesn't have a girlfriend."

"Well, then I'm going to have to run to the store," he said.

Confused, I asked, "Why?"

"I'm gonna need to stock up on nonperishable and other supplies," he said.

"Why?" I asked again.

"Well, Simon doesn't have a girlfriend and you do," he said, smiling, "It's a sign of the apocalypse."

I rolled my eyes and chucked my pillow at him. He dodged it and walked out. I could hear him laughing down the hall. Standing up, I walked over to the door and grabbed my pillow. I turned around to see what time it was and decided that going back to bed was pointless. Instead, I turned on my laptop and inserted the USB drive. Dad might not want me messing with it, but what he doesn't know won't kill him.

I spent the next hour going through the names and finding any I recognize. So far, I learned that both Maggie and Jake were shamans. I also learned that Chloe's other friends were also Supernaturals. Liz was a Volo half demon and Rae was an Exustio half demon. I didn't know much about half demons, but I recognized the types. Liz was telekinetic and Rae could start fires. _Fitting. With a temper like hers, I wouldn't expect anything less._ I was randomly searching through the names when Simon came bursting into my room. I turned to look over my shoulder.

"Have you seen my jersey?" he asked.

"Nope," I said, turning back to my laptop. "Have you checked the laundry?"

"It wouldn't be in the laundry," he said, "I haven't worn it yet. I set it on my bag last night and this morning it's gone."

"Well, how would I know?" I asked. "Why not ask Tori?"

This look passed over his face and he left the room. Shrugging, I shut down my computer and stuffed it in my bag. I quickly changed into jeans and a t-shirt and completed my look with a sweatshirt. I was about to shut my closet door when I noticed some of my sweatshirts were missing. I counted the ones still hanging and found three to be missing. _Weird._

Walking out of my room, I made my way to the bathroom when Tori walked out of her room. She stopped mid-step when she saw me. I was about to ignore her when the evilest smile appeared on her face. This caused me to stop mid-step and I asked, "What?"

"Oh, nothing," she said, sweetly, and turned around to walk down the stairs.

I watched her until I couldn't see her anymore. _I'm going to have to watch her. _Shaking my head, I walked into the bathroom and started my daily routine. I finished by brushing my teeth. When I set the toothpaste back down on the counter, I saw something glitter on the floor. Leaning down, I saw it was an earring. It definitely wasn't one of Tori's. She only wore hoops that were big enough to fit her fist through. _Must be Chloe's._ I pocketed it and finished brushing my teeth. After checking that I didn't have a zit from putting of my change for so long, I left the bathroom.

Checking my watch, I sighed. Late again. Unfortunately, I couldn't blame this time of Simon and Tori. I quickly grabbed my bag from my room and went downstairs, where Simon was attempting to get his shoe laces unknotted.

"Just shove your foot in," I said, putting my own shoes on.

"But that will wreck the backs," he protested.

"They're shoes," I said.

"Well, I happen to like these shoes," Simon said. He finally got it untangled and said, "Aha!"

I just rolled my eyes and yelled, "Tori, if you don't get your ass in the car in ten seconds, you're walking!"

"Let's make it five and not tell her," Simon said, grinning.

"It'll take us five to get to the car," I said, walking out the door, "And other five to get situated."

"Fine," Simon sighed, getting in the passenger seat.

I got in the driver's seat and was about to start the shift it into drive when Tori finally came out, taking her time getting to the car. She got in and I started driving before she could buckle her seatbelt. I didn't speed, but I got as close to it as possible. I didn't really feel like getting detention for being late again. Though, Simon would get detention too, so that made up for the possibility.

Pulling into a parking spot, I shut off my car and got out, stuffing the keys in my pocket.

"Hey look, there's Chloe," Simon said, pointing towards another car. I turned to see her walking from what I assumed was her car. She seemed pretty focused on the ground as she walked until her head snapped up and she looked over at us. Simon smiled and waved enthusiastically. She smiled back and gave a small wave back. She looked at me and her smile got a little brighter. I nodded back. She didn't take any offense to my not smiling back. Instead, she waited for us and then said,

"So why are you guys late?"

"Late start," I said. "You?"

"Alarm clock mishap," she said, "Turns out, they don't like to go off after they've been thrown into the wall."

"I know exactly what you mean," Simon said. "I had this clock last year that kept going off an hour early, so I chucked it at the wall and it burst into like a million pieces. I was stepping on random gears for months."

She laughed and said, "I feel for you."

"I hate to break up the flirting extravaganza," Tori said, "But I'm about to vomit."

"Then leave," Simon said, glaring at her.

Tori continued on as if he had never spoke, "And besides, I'm sure Chloe would rather be flirting with someone else, don't _you_, Chloe?"

Chloe stumbled and stuttered, "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know," she said, smiling that oh-so-familiar evil smile. "Just a hunch."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Simon asked.

Before Tori could answer, I said, "Come on, Simon. If we're late, Carnahan will give us detention."

"Oh shit," he said, "You're right. See ya ladies."

"Bye," Chloe said.

I didn't wait to hear Tori's ingenious reply. She'd annoyed me enough today and it's only 8:30 in the morning. Instead, I headed straight for government, not even stopping at my locker. I didn't really need anything anyway. We were currently watching a really long, really boring movie on the constitution. I've fallen asleep twice so far.

We walked into the room just as the bell rang. Jake looked over at us as we sat down and said, "You ever consider an alarm? Save you a lot of trouble."

Simon laughed and said, "We were just talking to Chloe about that."

"I heard she stayed the weekend at your place," Jake said.

"Yeah," Simon answered, "For our science project."

"So, did anything…happen?" Jake asked. I saw him glance at me out of the corner of my eye and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"Nah," Simon said.

"Cool," Jake said.

Remembering the list I'd written for Jake, I reached into my pocket and handed it to him. He unfolded it and smiled.

"Thanks," he said.

"What is it?" Simon asked.

"The list for Tori," he said.

Simon looked at me and mouthed 'traitor.' I just ignored him and stared ahead. I doubted the list would work anyway, so it wasn't like I was 'betraying him', not that I really cared. Part of me hoped that Jake would actually get Tori to say yes. Then Simon would stop bugging me about asking Chloe to the dance. Of course, then he would probably just complain that I lost. Oh well, got to pick your battles.

After government, I went upstairs to algebra. When I walked in, Mr. Griggs didn't even look up from his grading when I set my homework packet on his desk. He just grabbed a copy of the next one and handed to me. Heading to the back to the room, I sat down and set to work. Normally, I wouldn't bother starting it until I got home, but I had that stupid dance thing today. I didn't really understand what we were supposed to do. I didn't even know if they'd picked a new day yet. Even if it was this Friday, we didn't have enough stuff to spread over three days.

After math, I headed to one of the only classes I actually didn't mind attending. I had to stop by my locker first to exchange my stuff, though. And unfortunately, certain people had seemed to memorize my locker schedule because they were standing across the hall giggling again. I really wanted to tell them I had a girlfriend so they'd leave me alone, but then the news would spread to the entire school. Stuffing my math stuff in my locker, I suppressed a growl when I heard one of the vultures break away from the flock and head my way. She stopped on the other side of the locker door, hiding herself until I shut the door. I decided to get this over with and I shut the door. I instantly regretted it. On the other side of the door, standing uncomfortably close, was Amber, who was currently flaunting her breasts as much as she could with breaking the dress code.

"Hi, Derek," she said, seductively.

"Not interested," I said, lifted the strap of my bag over my shoulder.

"Oh, I think I can change that," she said, taking a step closer and stroking my arm. "The dance is back on."

"I know," I said, taking a step back. She followed.

"I'm still looking for a date," she said. "Of course, I've got boys lined up for the opportunity, but I thought I'd give you the privilege of taking me."

"If I wanted to go with you, I would have asked," I said, "But seeing how I didn't…"

I was hoping she'd take the hint, but apparently her rather empty head was too thick to get through to. Just as I was about to lose my temper, the locker next to mine shot open and slammed into the back of her head. She whirled around to see who did it, but saw no one. I just blinked. I was wondering myself until I felt someone tug on my shirt sleeve. I turned around to see who it was, but there was no one there. I looked around and there was another tug. I stopped looking and smiled a little. Walking towards English, I said quietly, "Thanks Beth."

She tugged her welcome and then was silent. I didn't know if was still following me, but I assumed she was. When I walked into English, Chloe was already sitting at her seat, leaning down over something, writing and erasing continuously, so I assumed it was math. As I got closer, I confirmed by suspicions when I saw equations scribbled over her paper. I sat down in my seat and said, "You know, if you keep erasing like that, you're gonna burn a hole in your paper."

She jumped at the sound of my voice but didn't get annoyed like usual. Instead, she said, "I wouldn't have to erase so much if I understood it."

"Let me see," I said, reaching for the paper. She handed it over and I looked it over. The page was about bisectors.

"We've already learned it, but I can't remember," she said, leaning her head on my shoulder. Her head snapped up right after though, and looked over to her right. I'm guessing Beth reminded her about the whole private relationship thing. She looked up at me and said, "Sorry."

"S'okay," I said, grabbing my pencil. I scribbled a few formulas on the paper and handed it back. "Those should help a little bit."

"Maybe we could go over it tomorrow," she said, looking up from the paper at me. "After school."

I groaned and she quickly said, "You said you would."

"I know," I said.

"And besides," she said. "There is an advantage. Or… for me, least."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Well," she said. "So far the only time alone with you that I've had has been cut short by Simon or Tori or your dad. You tutoring me both helps me in math and gives me more alone time with you, even if it's in a public place."

I considered what she said. She was actually right. I _was_ getting a little sick of getting interrupted and knowing that no member of my family could intrude was a good thought. I looked over at Chloe who gave me a hopeful smile.

"Fine," I said. This caused her smile to get bigger.

"So," she said, "Tomorrow after school?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Good," she said, "And thanks. I really need the help."

"I'm not arguing with you there," I said, getting out my stuff from my bag.

"Jerk," she said. When I looked over at her, I saw she was smiling.

The next thing I was going to say was cut off by Ms. Wallus walking in. She started class immediately, which was strange for her.

"Okay, so I've decided to bump up the due dates for your projects," she said. "Instead of them being due when you get back from winter break, they will now be due this Friday before you leave."

"What!" the entire class erupted. Random comments were thrown out.

"That's not fair!"

"That's not enough time!"

"I like tacos!"

I don't know where that last one came from, but Ms. Wallus picked up a book from her desk and slammed in against the surface. That silenced that class instantly and she said, "I don't care how unfair it seems. You all have had plenty of time to complete the project. It will be due Friday. Anybody who doesn't turn it in will receive and F. I will not accept late work."

I wasn't freaking out like everybody else because I had already finished my book and just had to write the paper, but even I thought she was being completely unfair. I might hate the majority of the class, but even they didn't deserve a failing grade for a project that was worth quite a bit of points.

"I wonder why she changed the due date," Chloe said.

"I don't know," I said, "It doesn't really affect me, though. I just have to write the paper."

"Me too," she said. "I've already made an outline."

"There's going to be a lot of F's," I said.

"I don't think she even cares," Chloe said, "But why would she want to have to grade papers over winter break? Why not a have a work free break?"

"Something tells me there's something else going on," I said.

"Why would you think that?" she said.

"Past experiences," I said.

She nodded and said, "Maybe she's evil."

I looked over at her and shook my head.

"Now, I want everyone to take out a piece of paper and list all the components of a classic novel. Once that is finished, I want you to write a paragraph explaining each one. And I want it done by the end of class and on my desk as you leave," Ms. Wallus said.

The entire class groaned and started taking out paper. I flipped to an empty page in my notebook and wrote. It didn't take very long to complete. There weren't that many components and I could actually remember them, for who knows what reason. English to me was like math to Chloe. Basically, it was a foreign language. Nothing stuck and what did stick didn't make any sense. However, this seemed to stick because I was done within a half hour. I looked over at Chloe who was doodling on a piece of paper. I silently let out a laugh and watched her. She started out with a squirrel and added a nut to the picture. She wasn't the best artist, but she was okay. The squirrel's tail was a little disproportioned, but I didn't point it out. I watched her add a second squirrel to the picture.

"What are you drawing?" I whispered.

"A squirrel," she whispered back.

"Why?" I asked.

"Cause I'm bored," she said. She looked over at me and said, "Want to play hangman?"

"Sure," I said. She slid the paper over to me and I drew eleven spaces.

"S?" she guessed.

"Nope," I said, drawing a head.

"T?"

"Nope," I said, drawing a stick for the body.

"E?"

"One E," I said, filling in the space.

"A?"

"One A," I said, filling in the space.

We continued on until she finally got the word. She smiled when she saw the final word. Necromancer. She grabbed the paper and drew out eight spaces. I got that one pretty quickly. We kept playing until the hour was over and the bell finally rang. I gathered up my stuff and walked out the classroom. Chloe was initially right behind me, but I saw Maggie block her out of the corner of my eye. I had a feeling that Maggie had seen something, but I trusted Chloe.

Walking to my locker, I saw Simon standing next to it, talking to my stalkers. _Great. Now I have to deal with them. _Luckily Amber wasn't with them. Sighing, I walked up and immediately heard giggles. Simon turned around to see what they were giggling at and smiled broadly when he saw me.

"Hey, bro," he said.

"Hey," I said, walking past him and opening my locker.

"So," he said, "The dance was rescheduled to Friday."

"Where'd you hear that?" I asked.

"Jake," he said. "He's the entertainment so they told him earlier and he passed on the message."

"And the reason you're passing it on to me?" I questioned, shutting my locker.

"So that you can ask Chloe," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Just as I opened my mouth to retort, one of the girls asked, "Chloe who?"

"Chloe Saunders," Simon said. The girls gasped and looked at each other before running off. I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand while Simon asked, "I wonder what that was about."

"That," I said, glaring at him, "Was the beginning of a new rumor."

His eyes widened and he said, "Oops. Sorry bro."

"Go eat lunch," I said, hoisting my bag over my shoulder and walking off towards the library. He could tell I was angry with him because he didn't follow me. I quietly slipped into the library and walked to the back, away from people. Taking out my government book and notebook, I started working on the problems in the back of the chapter. Despite watching movies, I still have a crap load of homework for government. I wouldn't have really thought about it, but then Ms. Wallus unexpectedly and unreasonably moved the due date up. I didn't really think that was a coincidence. But despite those teachers, my algebra homework didn't increase, so it all depended on my other classes.

After the bell rang, I headed off to physics. I didn't particularly like the class, despite it being easy. I was stuck sitting next to some idiot senior who was constantly asking what the answer was and then complaining when I wouldn't give it. I'm really close to snapping at him, but I've held back so far. I didn't really need another teacher dubbing me as trouble. I got enough of that at my old schools. So far, she doesn't mind me. She doesn't really like me, but she doesn't really hate me either, but that was probably only because I aced the test that was given the day after I started. After that, she pretty much ignored me.

After physics, I headed to French which, like English, I didn't mind going to. And I'll admit it was because of that short blond. Walking in, I saw she wasn't there yet, which I was becoming accustomed to. She usually beat me to English, but I usually beat her to French. Sitting down, I took out my stuff and waited. Sure enough, she walked right in and saw me. Upon seeing me, she smiled and walked to her desk next to mine.

"So," she said, "Since when, exactly, am I going to the dance with you?"

"Since Simon opened his fat mouth and spread another rumor," I said. "I doubt this one will end well."

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"Because he told my stalkers, whose leader is Amber," I said. "And there is no way that she is going to take it lightly."

"You have stalkers?" Chloe asked, obviously amused.

"Not the point," I said.

"Do they leave you little messages in you locker?" she asked, having way too much fun with this.

"Oh yeah," I said. "They're real subtle. Their message is usually a flock of them standing next to my locker and oohing and ahhing at everything I do."

"Is there some sort of requirement, or can anybody join," she asked, grinning broadly.

"You are having way too much fun with this," I said.

"Sorry, but I needed it," she said.

"Why?" I asked. "What happened?"

"Nothing really," she said, "It's just that I have homework to last me until next year."

"For which classes?" I asked.

"History, geometry, the paper in English," she said.

"More homework than usual?" I asked, sitting up.

"Yeah, why? What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I have the same in government plus the English paper and I haven't even been to criminology yet," I said. "It's like their all piling on this week."

"For what?" she asked. "To get done before break?"

"That could be part of the reason, but there's extra homework," I said.

"What do you think it means?" she asked, looking a little worried. I wanted to talk to her about the school and the Supernaturals. I wanted to bounce all of thoughts off of her to see what she thought. I couldn't so that with Simon because he pretty much thought that I was right and agreed with me when it came to these kinds of things. I knew that Dad didn't want me to get any more involved in this than I already was and I was positive that meant to keep everybody else out of it, but I just couldn't do that. I was already too far in and as much as I hated dragging Chloe into all this, she needed to know.

"I need to tell you something," I said, "But I can't tell you now."

"When?" she asked. "After school?"

"After school tomorrow. When I help you with math," I said. "But we probably shouldn't be in the library. We should probably go somewhere more private."

"Is it about…," she raised her eyebrows and nodded her head. I nodded and she said, "Well, we can go to my place. Dad's not going to be home until late. He's going to New York City with a friend to help him buy a car or something. It'll be just us."

"Okay," I said. "I'll just tell Dad that I'm studying at your place. Hopefully he doesn't assume I'm anything like Simon."

"Why?" she asked, "What's wrong with Simon?"

"Whenever Simon claims that he's going to somebody's house to study, it either ends up being a blow off homework to goof off thing, or a blow off homework to make out thing, depending on who he's with," I explained. "You can guess the general theme."

"No homework for Simon," she said.

"Exactly," I said.

"So, which one would your dad think?" she asked.

"Jokingly, the latter," I said, "But I think he trusts me enough to get my work done."

"You think?" she asked. "You don't know if he trusts you?"

I thought back to this morning when he told me to stop trying to figure it out. "It's complicated."

From the look on her face, she didn't want to, but she took that answer with a nod. She stayed silent throughout the rest of French, occasionally glancing at me. With anybody else, this would have annoyed me. With Chloe, I didn't mind.

When French was over, Chloe and I parted ways and I headed to criminology. While useful when walking cop shows, so far criminology hasn't benefited me other than a much needed nap now and again. Today, however, when I walked in, the first thing I noticed was five stacks of papers on the teacher's desk. The sign said to take one of each. I obeyed the sign and noticed that they were all packets of at least ten pages each. _There is definitely something going on here. _

I went to my locker after class and stuffed my backpack with more than usual. The weight didn't bother me, but the fact that it weighed more is what did. I lugged it to the gym and ignored my stalkers, including Amber, who was currently glaring at the other side of the gym. I looked to what she was glaring at and saw Chloe lugging the giant banner out, trying not to rip it. I walked over and dropped my bag so that I could grab the other side. When she felt resistance, she stopped and looked behind her. Upon seeing me, she allowed me to help her carry the banner to the corner of the gym, where she had left her bag and the paint. I also noticed that it was far away from the bleachers. _Coincidence?_ After I was satisfied that the banner wasn't going to rip, I went back to grab my bag. Chloe had already started unfolding the banner and laying straight when I got back. Letting her do that, I opened the paint and stirred it. I handed her a brush and we set to work.

We finished the banner in about an hour. After setting it aside to dry, we looked around at everybody else and back to each other.

"What now?" I asked.

"We could make snowflakes," she suggested.

"Snowflakes?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said. "It fits. You know, winter dance. Snowflakes. They kind of go together."

"I'll get paper," I said. I stopped myself and said, "You know what, you get paper. I'll get scissors."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because if I let _you _get the scissors, you'll probably fall and stab yourself with them," I explained, already walking away to avoid getting splattered with leftover paint.

It didn't take long to make enough snowflakes for the gym. Chloe actually had a knack for it, so I let her work and I watched, taking the ones she finished and setting them in a pile. After half an hour, we were done and everybody was leaving. We placed the snowflakes with the banner and gathered up our stuff. When I saw her try to lift her bag, I grabbed it for her and said,

"I'll walk you to your car," I said.

"You don't have to," she said.

"Extra strength, part of the package," I said.

"Handy," she said, walking next to me. "Do you open jars and beer bottles, too?"

I gave her a look, to which she laughed at, saying, "What? I was seeing what was handier. You or a Swiss Army Knife."

"And you're conclusion?" I said, walking out the door into the parking lot.

"Well, a Swiss Army Knife can't carry my backpack, so I'm gonna have to choose you," she said, stopping at her car and fishing her keys out of her pocket. I waited for her to unlock the car and get it started before I said goodbye and walked to my own. Simon was standing by it, his hands shoved in his pocket and blowing puffs of air out of his mouth.

"Is it just me," he said. "Or did it get dramatically colder?"

"It is December," I pointed out.

"I know," he said, "But it didn't seem this cold yesterday."

"When did you go outside yesterday?" I asked.

"Touché," he said, getting in the car and putting his hands against the vent, which wasn't even on yet.

"Where's Tori?" I asked.

"She caught a ride with Dad," he answered.

"Why?" I asked.

"Her computer thing was cancelled due to some giant teacher meeting. Coach was supposed to go too, but he stayed behind to teach us new maneuvers," he explained.

"I wonder why there was a meeting," I said, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road.

"I'll care later," he said, "How long does it take to heat this thing up?"

I reached over and pushed the button and heat blasted through the vents and Simon sighed when the heat hit his fingers. He rubbed them together and held them there. I continued driving and thought about the meeting and rise in homework.

**Okay, so compared to certain previous chapters, this wasn't my best. However, it is 23 pages doubled space. That's better than nothing. Anyway, there's a new poll on profile which will affect which story I update first. If nobody does the poll, I'll pick myself. **


	19. I Think Something's Going To Happen

**Okay, so I've now determined that you guys are my peeps. Thus said, I love my peeps. You guys are awesome. And I'd like to give a special thanks to those of you who reviewed more than one story. I'd name you guys individually, but that would take a while and I'm sure you guys would rather get a new chapter faster instead.**

**The answer to the last riddle was a knock on a door/doorbell or a ringing phone.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Darkest Powers**

_What goes up and down but doesn't move?_

Beth's POV:

I glanced at the clock: 6:35. Five minutes until Chloe's alarm went off. I turned my head back to the sleeping teenager in the bed. After being alone for those months after the accident, I couldn't seem to tear myself away from Chloe's side. As much as I liked my individuality and my freedom, I needed Chloe as much as she needed me. However, no matter how much our friendship has developed over the months that we've known each other, I hated to admit it to myself, but I was jealous. Looking around her room at all her belongings, I missed my old life. Unlike her, I no longer owned anything. I couldn't touch anything; I couldn't talk to anyone but Chloe…well, except for Austin. And that's what sucks most about being a ghost….Austin. I know, ghost falling for alive guy. It's been done before. Boring. But, I couldn't help myself. I knew that I could never have a relationship with him. For one thing, I'm dead. I'm never going to age. So while he gets older and moves on with his life, I'll stay the same age. And even if I was willing to wait until he died, he'd be an old man by then. Not exactly what I had in mind. Besides, what guy would be stupid enough to fall for a ghost? And this all leads me back to my jealousy. Chloe's alive. That means she can actually have a relationship with someone. And she actually is. Of course, I'm one of the only people who know about it, but who in the world am I going to tell?

Sitting up straight, I looked back at Chloe. Just because I'm stuck doesn't mean Chloe will ever have to be, not if I had anything to do with it. And after "spying" on Derek for so long, I trusted him not to hurt her. Besides, he's too hot to push down a large flight of stairs…not that I would have done that anyway…

A rapid beeping erupted from the clock and Chloe groaned and blinding reached out, trying to find the off button. I looked over and gasped. 7:05. How did that happen? After half a minute of no luck, she finally sat up and shut it off, her hair sticking out at every angle. She looked tiredly at me and said, "Is it Monday?"

"Yup," I said.

"Damn," she muttered, dropping her head face-first into the pillow.

"Come on," I said, jumping off the dresser, where I had been sitting. "You can't miss school. There's too many perks."

"Name one," she mumbled through the pillow.

"Your boyfriend," I said, going over to her closet and flipping through her clothes, trying to find something that Derek would like.

"Oh," Chloe said, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "That wasn't just a really good dream?"

"Nope," I said, popping the P.

She nodded and said, "Good."

She let out a huge yawn and stretched her arms as high as she could. When she was done, I tossed her a pair of jeans and a shirt. She looked at me skeptically before picking them up. I left her to get dressed while I walked to the kitchen. I was met with the strong smell of coffee. Wrinkling my nose against the stench, I looked at the table to see Steve reading the morning paper and drinking a cup of coffee. Next to him was a plate with a half eaten bagel. When I saw what he was wearing, I almost did I double-take. Even after seeing him for months, I had never seen the man without a suit. And here he was, in broad daylight, wearing a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. I didn't even know he owned jeans.

"Morning, Dad," Chloe said, walking around me. She stopped halfway in the kitchen and she looked up.

"What?" he asked when he saw her facial expression.

"You're not wearing a suit," she pointed out.

"I was aware of that when I got dressed this morning," he said, smiling.

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, I won't be working for a while, so I thought business attire was a little out of place," he said, setting down his cup.

"I didn't even know you owned jeans," she said. I laughed.

"I happen to own numerous articles of clothing that are not suits," he said.

"Are they shoved in the bottom of the closet?" she asked.

"No they are not," he said, "They are shoved in the bottom of my dresser."

"Which is totally different," she said, walking to the fridge and grabbing out the orange juice.

"Are you driving today?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah," she said, "I have to stay after school to work on the committee."

"Alright," he said. "I thought we'd go out to eat tonight."

"Sure," she said. "That'd be great."

"Chloe," I said.

Her eyes flashed to me and I tapped my wrist. She looked up at the clock and choked on her juice. Steve looked up, worried.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said when she finally hacked up all the juice from her lungs. "I'm gonna be late."

"Better hurry," he said. "You don't want detention."

"Definitely not," she said, running past me to her room. I went to the front door and opened it when she came running.

"Bye, Dad!" she yelled before shutting the door.

I followed her running form down the stairs and out of the building. If I wasn't dead, there was no way I would have been able to keep up with her. I would have been too out of breath. Chloe, however, apparently was very fast when it came to being late to school. I almost didn't have time to get in the car before she pulled out of the lot and onto the road.

When we got there, I was glad to see that we made it before the bell rang. If Chloe got detention, it would reduce her Derek time. Handing Chloe her bag, we got out. I started following her until I looked over and saw Derek.

"Look," I said.

She looked over. Simon waved to her and Chloe gave a little wave back. I noticed that her face lit up when she saw Derek. He didn't smile back, but he _did _nod, so I didn't have to throw a rock at him…not that I would have…

Chloe waited for them and they started talking. I wasn't really paying attention to what they were saying though. I was too focused on a piece of gum that was stuck to the bottom of Simon's foot. Every time his left foot came up, I could see it. It wasn't until I heard the word flirting that I tuned in on their conversation.

"And besides, I'm sure Chloe would rather be flirting with someone else, don't _you_, Chloe?" Tori asked. If I was alive, I would totally high five Tori right now.

In front of me, Chloe stumbled and stuttered, "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know," she said, smiling. "Just a hunch."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Simon asked.

Derek cut off Tori's answer and said, "Come on, Simon. If we're late, Carnahan will give us detention."

"Oh shit," he said, "You're right. See ya ladies."

"Bye," Chloe said.

Tori turned to Chloe and smiled that evil smile.

"What?" Chloe asked.

"Oh nothing," Tori said, "Have a nice day, Chloe."

She turned around and walked down the hall. Chloe looked at me and said, "She scares me."

"I like her," I said, smiling.

"Of course you do," she muttered, walking away. I silently followed her to her locker and then to history. Just as we got to the door, however, I stopped. Every time I went in there, I either fell asleep or got in trouble with Chloe. Turning around, I walked back to where I came from and looked for something to pass the time. Eventually, I made it to the office. Peeking in, I saw that the secretary wasn't in. Walking in, I headed for the principal's office, but stopped when I got to the door. _Do ghosts show up on camera?_ I shrugged and headed in anyway. A woman was sitting at the desk rooting through the desk drawers. She didn't look up when I walked through the door, so I doubted she could see me. I wasn't positive, but I guessed she was the new VP. I wondered, though, why she was going through the principal's desk. _Doesn't she have her own desk to go through? _I walked up behind her and looked at what she was looking at. When I saw it was just a bunch of papers, I got bored and left.

_Where to next?_ I looked both ways down the hall and went right. I passed by the government room to see Jake and Simon drooling over their notebooks and Derek looking bored at the TV. I laughed and continued on.

I spent the next two hours walking around. Let's just say, lack of boredom really isn't an issue. On my way to Chloe's English class, I saw Derek at his locker with the ditz. From the look on his face, her company wasn't appreciated. Smiling, I pulled up my sleeves. _Let's just make her feel welcome, shall we? _I walked up behind her and slammed the locker door. I heard it collide with her head and I just smiled when I saw her turn around. Walking around her, I stopped next to Derek and pulled on his sleeve. When he didn't respond, I pulled again. He looked straight at me and smiled a little. I walked next to him and he said, "Thanks, Beth."

I tugged on his sleeve and walked into the room, heading to the back of the room and settling down next to Chloe. A few seconds later, Derek walked in and sat down next to her. I listened to their conversation for a little bit before Chloe leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"Chloe!" I hissed.

Her head snapped up and she looked over at me saying thank you with the eyes. She turned back to Derek and they continued talking. I had almost gotten into their conversation before what's her name walked in.

"Okay, so I've decided to bump up the due dates for your projects," she said. "Instead of them being due when you get back from winter break, they will now be due this Friday before you leave."

"What!" the entire class erupted. Random comments were thrown out.

"That's not fair!"

"That's not enough time!"

"I like tacos!"

I laughed at the last one and gave an invisible thumbs-up to the guy who said it. Gotta love a rebel. Ms. What's-her-name kept talking and the entire class groaned. I didn't really care what was happening. Chloe didn't seem worried, so I wasn't. I watched her work for a while and then draw. Derek and her started a game of hangman and I ignored them.

After class, I started walking to the door, but when I saw that Chloe wasn't following, I stopped and turned around to see what was keeping her. Maggie had blocked her way.

"Okay, so I am all for privacy, but what was that?" Maggie asked, looking a little excited.

"What was what?" Chloe asked.

"You and Derek," Maggie said, "All cozy together."

"We weren't cozy," Chloe said, looking anxious to end the conversation.

"Then why was your head on his shoulder?" Maggie asked.

"Oh, you saw that?" Chloe asked, worried.

"Yeah," she said, "Spill."

"It was nothing," Chloe said.

"That was not nothing," Maggie said, "What the heck happened at his house?"

"Nothing," Chloe protested.

"Alright," Maggie said, sounding unconvinced. "Fine, don't tell me. But it's not nothing."

"Just don't tell Rae, okay?" Chloe asked.

"Okay," Maggie said, "I won't tell Rae about your 'nothing'."

"Thanks," she said, sounding relieved.

They finally walked out of the room to lunch and I followed. And like English, it was uneventful and boring. I did get to listen to Rae give Chloe a lecture about bringing a camera when spending the weekend at a boy's house. Apparently Chloe had broken a huge rule when she didn't bring hers. Liz kept trying to get details about her weekend, but Chloe wouldn't budge. Maggie didn't ask any questions, but I assumed that it was because she already knew that something happened, not that she knew what it was.

When we left lunch, I wasn't really paying attention to what was going on around me until Chloe's locker door was slammed, almost catching her fingers. I looked up expecting Tori, but instead saw Amber. Chloe looked annoyed, but kept her cool, reopening her locker.

"Can I help you?" Chloe asked.

"What makes you think that you can go to the dance with Derek?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

"What?" Chloe asked, "What are you talking about? I'm not going to the dance with Derek."

"You can deny it all you want, but I know," Amber said, "What makes you think you can go to the dance with Derek? I had totally called him."

"Sorry I missed the memo," Chloe said sarcastically.

"So you admit it!" Amber exclaimed. She regained her composure and said, "I'll give you until Thursday to break it off."

"Or what?" Chloe asked.

"Or something of yours breaks," she said. I have to admit, that was a lame comeback.

"Move it," Tori said, walking up behind Amber, who turned around and said, "How are you going make me?"

Tori lifted her foot and stomped as hard as she could on Amber's foot. Amber practically screamed and said, "Do you see what you just did? You just scuffed my new shoes!"

"Are you actually going to let people see you in scuffed shoes?" Tori asked. Amber gasped and ran down the hall. Tori just rolled her eyes and started to open her locker. When Chloe tried to leave, Tori grabbed the back of her shirt and stopped her.

"Why are you dating my brother?" Tori asked, completely serious.

"Excuse me?" Chloe asked.

"Why are you dating my brother?" Tori repeated.

"Because I like him," Chloe said, not even trying to deny it.

"Why?" Tori asked.

"I don't understand," Chloe said, "Am I not allowed to like him?"

"You're the first person who has," Tori said, "Which means that you actually _do_ like him or that you want something from him."

Chloe straightened her back and I knew that meant she was getting pissed off. "If I wanted something from him, I would ask for it. The only thing that I want from your brother is a relationship, which he apparently wants too because he agreed to it."

With that, Chloe spun on her heels and walked away. I look one last look and Tori and followed her. I was a little worried. She looked pissed enough to kill someone. I might already be dead, but I followed a long distance behind her. She managed to hide her anger when she walked into biology so she wouldn't alert Simon, who smiled broadly when she walked in.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," she said, sitting down and taking out her stuff.

"So," he said, "Did you hear that the dance was rescheduled for Friday?"

"Yeah," she said, "Rae told me."

"Got a date yet?" he asked.

"No," she said, "Not yet."

"Got anybody in mind?" he asked, "Cause I'll help if I can."

Chloe's face turned red and she said, "Oh no, that's not necessary."

"Okay," he said. "I'm here to help, though, if you need it."

I couldn't help but notice that had more in mind that just helping Chloe get a date. There was no way he did not know about the bet. I smiled and looked at Chloe, whose eyes were currently fixed on her pencil. I turned back to Simon, who looked like he was trying not to laugh. If only I could actually talk to him and Tori. They would be great allies.

"Okay class," the teacher said walking into the room. "I know that winter break is coming up and the last thing you guys want is to be loaded with homework over break. And I know that presentations are Thursday and Friday, so I'm going to try and keep your load a little lighter than normal. I do have a small packet that needs to be done, but I think I'll hold that off until after break. And with only three days left to work on your projects, I'm going to let you and your groups work on what you need to during class. If anybody needs to run to their locker for supplies, do so now."

Half the class left the room and Simon and Chloe looked at each other.

"What are we going to do now?" Simon asked.

"Sleep?" Chloe offered.

"Sounds like a plan," Simon said, grinning and totally serious.

"I'm going to work on history homework," Chloe said.

"You do that," Simon said, stacking his books on top of each and then laying his head down. He was asleep in about ten minutes. I really wanted to drop little wads of paper down the collar of his shirt, but I doubted that would have ended well for me seeing how Chloe was sitting right there. Instead, I spent the hour watching Chloe scribbling stuff down out of her history book. I was starting to think that Simon had a good idea.

By the time the bell rang, I was drifting off. I jerked awake and saw Chloe packing up. Simon lifted his head and wiped off the drool from his books. I followed Chloe out. Next stop, French class and one very hot werewolf.

It didn't take long to get there and when I walked in, I froze. I had completely forgotten that Austin was in Chloe's French class. He hadn't seen me yet, so I was hoping that he wouldn't. I followed Chloe to her seat and sat on top of the desk behind her. I listened to Chloe and Derek flirt a little and then I zoned them out. When I turned my head, I saw that Austin was watching me. I looked away and back. He was still watching me. I bit my lip and hopped off the desk. Making sure that Chloe wasn't looking, I walked over to Austin and sat down in the empty desk next to him. He was smart enough not to look next to him or to open him mouth. About ten minutes after class started, he pulled out a piece of paper and wrote something down. He then moved his hand away and I looked down.

_Hi._

I softly laughed at the simplicity of it. "Hi."

_You okay?_

"Why wouldn't I be?"

_You looked a little troubled._

"I'm fine."

_Good._

"And you?"

He hesitated before writing. _I'm okay._

"What's wrong?"

_It's nothing._

"Obviously not. Tell me."

_I have a free next period._

"Where do you want to meet?"

_Gym?_

"That works."

_Okay._

He concentrated on his work after that. When the class was almost over, he reached to scratch under his shirt collar and I sat up. There was a bruise. An ugly, purple, fresh bruise. He winced a little when his finger hit it, but he didn't say anything. I looked at the clock and shifted in my seat. _Ten minutes to go._

When the bell rang, I made sure that Chloe didn't see me follow Austin. He stopped at his locker first to fill his bag and then he sneaked to the gym. The lights weren't on, but there was some light coming in from the windows. He avoided the dance stuff and walked to the corner. We sat down and I said, "Where did you get the bruise?"

"Nowhere," he said.

"So, you just woke up and it was there?" I asked, actually worried.

"Course not," he sat, avoiding eye contact.

"Then where?" I asked.

"He only does it when he's angry," he said, looking down.

"Who, Royce?" I asked, assuming it was family problems.

"Yeah," he said quietly.

"Is that the only bruise?" I asked.

"No," he said, finally looking up. "He threatens a lot, but he never hurts me unless he's really angry."

"Why was he angry?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said, "He was mad when we got home on Friday. He didn't like that the dance was back on. Or, rather that that the kids who broke in weren't getting in trouble. And then he spent the weekend hanging out with Liam and Ramon and he was in an even worse mood yesterday."

"So what happened?" I asked softly.

"Mom sent me up to his room to ask him what kind of pizza that he wanted and he pulled me into his room. He yelled for a little bit and then he hit me. Not that hard. But then he hit me again and he got rougher than usual."

"Didn't your mom do anything about it?" I asked.

"I didn't tell her," he said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"She's afraid of him," he explained.

I took a deep breath and said, "You said that Royce isn't a necromancer. Then what is he?"

"Dangerous," he said. "He's telekinetic."

"How are you a necromancer and he's telekinetic?" I asked.

"We have different dads," he said.

"Whose dad do you live with?" I asked.

"Neither," he said. "Royce was the result of a one-night stand. And mine…I haven't seen him in a while."

I didn't continue that line of conversation because I could tell that it was painful.

"Royce is making me go to the dance on Friday," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"He said that it was important and that I didn't want to miss it," he said. "I think something's going to happen. Something bad. And I think that Royce and his friends are involved."

He looked at me with concern flooding his eyes, "I think people are going to get hurt."

"We have to do something," I said, sitting up straight. "We have to stop it."

"How?" he asked. "If you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly the person people listen to."

"But I can tell Chloe," I said, "And she'll tell Derek and his siblings and they'll do something and we can help."

"I don't know," he said, hesitantly.

"Don't you want to stop people from getting hurt?" I asked.

"Well, yeah but –"

"Then we have to take matters into our own hands," I said, standing up.

"If Royce finds out, he'll kill me," he said and I knew that he was serious.

"Then we'll just have to keep it a secret," I said, confidently. "Are you in?"

People started coming into the gym as the bell rang and I could tell that he just wanted to be out of there. He looked one more time at me and then nodded. I smiled and his worried face broke out a little smile. He nodded his goodbye and fled before people saw him. I couldn't help notice his eyes today. Snapping out of it, I walked over to where Chloe was currently lugging the banner to the other side of the gym. I would have offered to help, but that would have looked weird. Instead, I waited for Derek and just supervised.

When they were finally done, I followed them to the car and got in. Chloe talked to Derek for a minute and got in. I was eager to tell her everything, but I was going to wait until we had gotten back to her place and she was safely parked where she couldn't crash.

**Okay, so I had a little trouble starting this chapter, but as I kept writing, I kept getting more ideas. And because of that, I think that you guys are going to like the next chapter. It will be in Derek's POV. I have to update Title Pending and Holiday Happenings, but I'll try to be quick about it. I want to get started on the next chapter of this ASAP. **


	20. Favors

**Okay, so I am back. I only one more week of winter break and then I start school again, but I'm only taking online classes so I won't have to worry about waking up insanely early to go to class. And I have limited access to my computer until the 12. After that, my sister goes back to college and I get full access to my computer again. **

**The answer to the last riddle was a staircase.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

_What belongs to you, but is used more by others? _(Does anybody actually do these anymore?)

**Derek's POV**

Checking to make sure I had everything in my bag, I hoisted it over my shoulder and left my room. For once I wasn't late for school. Of course, that all depended on how long it took for Simon to roll out of bed. Walking down the stairs, I heard Dad in the kitchen and headed there. He was pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Morning," he said, looking over at me.

"Morning," I said. "I can't drive Simon and Tori home tonight."

"Why?" he asked.

"I'm going over to Chloe's to study," I said. When I saw the instant change in his expression, I scowled and said, "Shut up."

"Study, huh?" he asked, failing to contain his smile. "How do I know that you'll be studying?"

"Because I'm not Simon," I said, annoyed.

"I don't know," he said, stroking his chin. "Maybe I'll have to call every once and awhile and check up. You know, to see how your 'studying' is going."

Scowling, I turned around and started to walk out. When I left the room, I heard to call after me, "Have fun. Studying that is."

Ignoring his last comment, I walked to the front door to wait for Simon and Tori. I leaned against the wall and starting thinking about the bet. I had four more days of Simon's pestering and then I was home free. Unfortunately, then I'd get bugged even longer for not asking her out. _Too bad I can't get Tori to say yet to Jake. _A thought hit me, and I shot up straight. Bolting up the stairs, I knocked on Tori's door. When she finally opened it, she glared at me and said, "I'm not done, go away."

"I'm not trying to hurry you," I said.

"Oh. Then what do you want?" she asked, walking in and leaving the door open. I walked in and shut it.

"I need a favor," I said.

She turned and around and fixed me with a confused look. "What could you possibly want?"

"I need you to ask Jake to the dance," I said.

"Fuck no," she said, walking to her desk and stuffing her books into her backpack.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I'm not asking that pompous pretty-boy to the dance," she said.

"He's not a pompous pretty-boy," I said, getting annoyed.

"Whatever," she said, "Nothing you could offer would make it worth it."

"Not even making Simon cry?" I asked.

When she stopped midway through what she was doing, I knew I had her. She turned around and smiled, "How bad we talking?"

"Sobs," I said, smiling.

She didn't even ask why I wanted her to ask Jake. "Deal."

"Good," I said, "Wait until lunch, okay?"

"Sure, whatever," she said, "But I want his sobs to be on tape."

"Fine, just meet me at my locker at lunch. I can guarantee that he'll be crying."

"He better be," she said, "Otherwise I've wasted my chance at a good date and you owe me big time."

"Thanks," I said, turning to go, "And don't tell Simon."

I walked to the door and starting turning the knob when Tori started talking.

"The thing between you and Chloe," she said, "How serious we talking?"

"I don't know," I said, "We've only been dating for a few days."

"Well, regardless of that, I plan on further investigating her," she said.

Surprised, I said, "Are you worried for me?"

"No, me," she said, "Eventually Simon is going to find out and when that happens, you can freely bring Chloe here. I don't want you to bring some psychotic home."

"She's not psychotic," I said, annoyed.

"Whatever," she said, grabbing her bag and brushing past me.

I just rolled my eyes and followed her down the stairs. Simon was waiting at the bottom, actually ready to go.

"I'm not driving you guys home tonight," I said, walking outside and towards the car.

"Why not?" Simon asked.

"I'm busy after school," I said, "And I don't know what time I'll be done."

"Then how are we getting home?" he asked.

"Ask Dad for a ride," I said, getting in and starting up the engine. I waited until they were buckled in and I pulled out of the driveway towards school. The car ride was uneventful. Simon and Tori bickered and I ended up smacking Simon upside the head. He kept his mouth shut after that and I was able to enjoy the last five minutes in peace. Well, until I parked. Then he burst out the car and was rushing me. For someone who didn't like school that much, he was always so eager to get there.

I looked over and saw an empty parking space where Chloe's car usually is. That either meant that she remembered that I was driving her place or she forgot and she was just late. I was hoping for the former. Tori walked in without us and Simon continued to rush me. If we weren't at school with teachers and cameras…and witnesses, I would have decked him. He followed me to my locker and was watching my every move. I noticed that he did glance around him every once in a while, but his eyes always settled back on me. When he tried to walk away after I closed my locker, I grabbed his shirt and yanked him back.

"What's with you?" I asked. Before he could fake innocence, I continued, "I can understand the following. We're going to the same place. But what's with the rushing? Why are you in such a hurry? And why do you keep looking around?"

"I'm just looking. What's wrong with that?" he asked, not meeting my eye.

"You're acting nervous," I accused. "What did you do?"

"Why do you automatically suspect that I did something?" he asked. I just fixed him with a look and he said, "Okay, okay, so I may have talked to Amber."

"The leader of my stalkers?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah. I may have told her some things," he said.

I took a step toward him and I towered over him. "What things?"

"Well, I was algebra and Jake had gone to the bathroom. And Amber walked up to me and asked me if you were going to the dance with Chloe and I might have not said no."

"You told Amber that I was going to the dance with Chloe?" I asked.

"Not technically," he said. "Anyway, she sort of got a little angry. And she said something about getting you and Chloe paying."

"She threatened Chloe?" I said, "And you didn't tell me before?"

"It's not like I really expected her to do anything," he said.

"But…"

"But then when we were leaving yesterday, I saw her get into a car with Liam and Ramon and that kid Royce."

I racked my mind for Chloe's schedule. _What does she have first hour? History!_

"Go to government. I'll meet you there," I said, turning and walking towards Chloe's history class. I didn't wait for Simon to argue.

It didn't take long to get there. I casually walked past and glanced in. I sighed in relief when I saw her sitting next to Rae, laughing at something. I didn't stay long, but I spent an extra few seconds watching her. I noticed that she wore her hair in a low ponytail today. She was also wearing a sweatshirt that was too big for her that I automatically recognized as mine. _When did she get that?_ I glanced at the clock in the hallway and left. I may not have been here long and I may not know everybody, but what I do know is that I do not want someone like Amber Long having a grudge with Chloe. Especially if she hangs out with Liam and Ramon. I've heard some things about them since I've been here and none of them were good.

I made it to government with time to spare. When I walked in, I noticed that Simon and Jake were smiling about something and I had to resist smiling to myself. In just a few hours, Jake would be extremely and there was a good chance that Simon would be crying. Don't get me wrong, I don't get pleasure in Simon crying, but Tori does and it's the only way she'll help me. I walked to my seat and sat down.

"You going to the dance?" Jake asked.

"Wasn't planning on it," I said, sitting back.

"Well, if you do, a bunch of us are considering going out for a little while afterwards," he said.

"Yeah," Simon said, "Some of the pizza places will be open after and we thought we'd get a slice. Maybe hang around town for a bit before going home."

"I'll pass," I said.

"Come on, bro," Simon said, "It'll be fun. We'll bring out dates."

"The only reason you want me to go with is because you don't want to have to call Dad to pick you up after," I said.

"That's not the only reason," he argued.

"Besides, he could just stay at my place if he wanted," Jake said. "My grandma won't mind. And Maggie's probably going to Chloe's or something."

"I'll pass," I repeated.

"Well, it's not too late to get a date for the dance," Simon said, trying to sound innocent.

"I heard you already had a date," Jake said.

"You've been listening to the wrong people," I said.

"I also heard that Amber is pissed because of it," he said.

"You'd be right on that one," Simon said.

"I hope Chloe's careful," Jake said, completely serious, "I've known Amber since kindergarten and she's bad news. Especially since we hit high school and she started hanging out with certain people."

"What's with Liam and Ramon," Simon asked.

Jake glanced around and lowered his voice. "They've only been here a few years. They don't come to school that much. Usually only a few times a semester. Last year, a seventh grade girl went missing. They found her two weeks later. There wasn't much left of her. The report said that by the time they found her, it looked like she'd been ravaged by wolves or something."

"What does that have to do with them?" Simon asked.

"Well, the middle school is just behind the high school. Liam and Ramon came to school every day for a week just before she went missing. They were gone on the day that she had been declared missing but they came back the next day. They stayed every day until they found her, then they left again."

"Okay, that's creepy," Simon said, "Didn't the police do anything about it?"

"They couldn't find any evidence that pointed to either of them. The only thing that was found on the girl was a few stray animal hairs. They sent them out and found them to be wolf fur. The strange thing, though, was that they were oddly colored. Some of them were black, but some were yellow. Have you ever seen a yellow wolf?"

I stiffened, but luckily neither of them noticed. I glanced at Simon and could tell that he didn't understand the meaning.

"I've seen a blue wolf once," Simon said, "but it was just some idiots that spray painted one at the zoo."

"What classes do you have with Chloe?" I asked Jake.

"Just theatre sixth hour," he said.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked. "I know this is going to sound weird, but can you watch her?"

"Of course," he said, not even asking why.

"Thanks," I said.

"You want me to walk her to her car too?" he asked.

"On the days that we don't have the dance thing," I said, "But today take her to my locker."

"Sure," he said. "What are you going to do with her other classes?"

"Well, I have English and French with her," I said, "I can keep an eye on her then. And she walks to lunch with Maggie. And I can walk her to theatre after French."

"I can walk with her to biology from lunch," Simon offered. "And I'll walk with her to French too."

"That just leaves before school and from history to English," I said, thinking out loud.

"I can ask Maggie to meet her at the history room," Jake said. "I'm guessing you don't want me telling Maggie why."

"That'd be best," I agreed.

"Do we need to be watching you, too?" Simon asked me.

"Why me?" I asked.

"Well, it is you that Amber is obsessing over," Jake said.

"I'll be fine. I can take care of myself," I said.

"And Chloe can't?" Simon asked.

"I fully trust that Chloe can take care of herself," I said, looking at him. "But I don't trust Amber. It's better if she's always with someone."

"Strength in numbers," Jake said, "Amber is least likely to try anything if there are witnesses."

"Exactly," I said.

Simon nodded. "You sure you don't want us watching your back, too?"

"I'm sure," I said.

"What?" Simon asked when he saw my face.

"I have an idea, but I'm not going to like it," I said. "I need to keep Amber away from Chloe. And she already follows me around the school."

"You're going to encourage her?" Jake asked.

"Not encourage, exactly. Just not…discourage."

"I agree, you're not going to like it," Simon said.

Our conversation was interrupted by the teacher walking in. We glanced at each other once more before turning our attention to him. We didn't talk at all during the hour, but neither of them slept during the movie. They were completely alert and for the first time, I noticed Simon with any of his usual humor. He was completely serious and focused.

After government, I went to my math class, but I didn't listen to the teacher or to any of the sounds around me. Instead, I focused on finishing my math homework. Tonight's study session was about Chloe, so I needed to get my work done so that I didn't have to stay up until three in the morning working on it.

After college algebra, I went to my locker and saw that Amber and her cronies were waiting for me. Taking a deep breath, I walked over and opened my locker.

"Hi," Amber said, seductively.

"Hey," I mumbled, replacing my stuff with my English and physics materials.

Her smiled widened and she said, "So, I heard that you're taking Cleo Sanders to the dance."

I didn't bother correcting her. "I haven't made a decision yet."

"Well, as you know, I'm still free," she said, taking a step closer. I stayed where I was. "But you better hurry. I've got many options."

"I haven't made a decision yet," I repeated.

"Well, you have until Thursday," she said.

"I'll think about it," I said before turning around and heading off the English. When Amber was out of view, I shuddered. _No way in hell. _

When I got into English, Chloe saw me walk in and she smiled. I nodded and walked back.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey," I said, this time meaning it. "Where did you get my sweatshirt?"

Her face turned red and she bit her lip. She looked around and said, "I sort of have this friend."

"A friend?"

"Yeah, but she's not exactly…normal. She's kinda dead."

"Beth?" I asked.

"How do you know about Beth?" she asked.

"Uh…lucky guess?" I said. On the inside I was hitting myself.

"Derek," she said.

Reluctantly, I said, "I've met her. Sort of. She helped me with something."

"What something?" she asked.

"The something that I have to talk to you about tonight," I said.

"But you will tell me?" she asked.

"Course," I said, "but back my sweatshirt."

"Well, she sort of snuck them into my bag."

"Them? She took more than one?"

"She kinda took three."

"So that's where they went."

"I'm sorry. I would have given them back, but I didn't really have an opportunity. You can get them tonight."

I looked at her. I have to admit, I liked the look of her in my sweatshirt. "You can keep them."

"Really?" she asked, a little excited.

"You want my sweatshirts?" I asked.

"Well, their warm," she said, looking embarrassed.

"Did Beth by any chance sneak Simon's jersey into your bag, too?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. She thought it was funny. You can get it tonight."

"Should I be worried about Beth?"

"Probably."

After that, Ms. Wallus came in and started class. Lucky for me, she had us do a worksheet that we could use our partners for. Chloe and I had it done quickly, so we had more time to talk.

"Were you planning on going to the dance?" I asked her.

"Yeah," she said, "Rae and Liz finally talked me into it. And Aunt Lauren bought me clothes to wear for it. It's probably going to suck, but oh well. Why?"

I took a deep breath and, not looking her in the eye, said, "I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."

She didn't say anything, so I looked over at her. She was staring at me, not saying anything.

"You don't have to," I said.

"You want to go with me?" she asked, completely ignoring my previous comment.

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked. "Is there something wrong with you?"

"Well, no, but…it just seemed like you really didn't want to go," she said.

"I don't really," I said.

"Then why did you ask me?"

"Because you're going. I figured, Dad's probably going to make me go so that I can drive Simon and Tori and maybe it wouldn't suck so badly if I went with you," I explained, expecting her to get mad at me.

Instead, she laughed quietly. "So you want to go with me so that it won't suck so badly?"

"Pretty much," I said. _Among other things. _

"Well then, it's a date," she said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said, "It's gonna suck either way, but maybe I can have a little fun if you went with me."

"I'm not dancing," I said automatically.

"I don't expect you to," she said.

"Can we keep this between us for a little while," I asked.

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, I know about your bet," I said. Her face paled and she started stuttering an explanation. I held up my hand and said, "I'm not mad at you for it. I don't care that you did it. I know that the bet isn't the reason you said yes. But I also know that Jake has to ask Tori to the dance. And I kinda convinced Tori to ask Jake to the dance."

"But that isn't going to win him the bet," she said.

"I know, but he's going to tell Simon as soon as she does and Simon's going to forget about that little detail."

"And?"

"And he's going to come running to my locker and he might actually cry that all his plans to get me to ask you to the dance are ruined. Tori wants a picture. And then I kinda want to wait a little for him to mope. Just until tomorrow, though."

I could tell that she was trying to contain her laughter. "Okay, I can wait until tomorrow." Her face went serious and she said, "Does this mean that you're okay with announcing our relationship?"

"Well, if we don't do it soon, Tori will," I said. "And then I'm going to have Simon bugging me and whining about me not telling him and how come Tori knew before him and so on."

"You're life sounds so hard," she teased.

"It is. I don't know how I get out of the bed in the morning," I teased back, actually enjoying myself.

"Well, _I_ don't really have a choice," she said. "If I don't wake up on time, I have a ghost screaming in my ear to wake up. That, or she pushes me out of bed."

"And you thought my life was hard," I said. She smiled and, as corny as it sounds, I think I saw her eyes sparkle. When I smiled back, she blushed and looked down at her hands.

"So," she said. "About tonight. What are the plans?"

"Well, you meet me at my locker after school and I'll drive us to your place," I said. "And then I will attempt to teach you math, but I'm not expecting miracles. And then there are some things that we need to talk about."

"My dad isn't going to be home until really late," she said. "I did tell him that I was having a friend come over to study, but I didn't give him any details. I don't really need my dad knowing that I have a boy in our living room."

"Will he be mad if he finds out?" I asked, worried about getting Chloe into trouble.

"Not mad. But I will get a lecture," she said.

"I don't want to get you into trouble," I said.

"You won't be," she assured me. "He won't really mind. Especially if I tell him that Aunt Lauren forbade me to bring a boy home."

"She would forbid you?" I asked.

"Not really. Actually, she would probably congratulate me…if an adult was present while the boy was there. Course, if I brought said boy into my room, then she would have a fit."

"Doesn't she trust you?"

"Oh, she trusts me. It's the entire hormone-filled male species that she doesn't trust."

"Is she married?"

"Nope."

"I wonder why."

"She does have a boyfriends every once in a while, but it doesn't last long."

"Career oriented?"

"Yep."

We spent the remaining ten minutes of class talking. When the bell rang, I was in a good mood. I walked out into the hall and headed to my locker. Upon turning the corner, I saw Tori standing at my locker fiddling with her camera. I didn't even say anything when I got to my locker. I just opened it and waited for Simon to arrive. It didn't take long. The "traitor" shouted from down the hall was a tip off. Lucky for Simon, everybody had already headed off to lunch and we were the only ones in the hallway. I glanced over my shoulder at Simon and casually said "Hey."

He ignored me and walked up to Tori. "How could you? All that I've been working for: ruined!"

I turned around to see his dramatic scene. It was actually pretty funny. Tori got some nice pictures that we will someday use as blackmail. After a while, though, we had to stop him. I still had some business to take care of before lunch was over.

Heading to the back of the library, I made sure nobody was around. If anybody saw me, they'd think I was crazy. Part of me actually thought I was crazy. Sitting down at the farthest seat, I took out my notebook and a pencil and I set then down.

"Beth," I said quietly. I waited a few minutes before trying again. I wasn't really sure that this work. I'm not a necromancer, but I know that Beth sometimes follows me. After a few more minutes, she still didn't answer. Just when I was going to give up, the pencil lifted.

"Good," I said. "I need a favor. I already know that you follow Chloe around, but I need you to watch out for her."

_Is she in trouble?_

"Sort of," I said. "More importantly, I want to prevent trouble. Will you do it?"

_Count me in._

"Just don't tell her that she might be in trouble," I said.

_Gotcha_

"Thanks," I said, gathering up my stuff and leaving. I wanted to get to physics early so that I could work on my homework. I was really hoping that Ms. Lowenberger would give me my homework at the beginning so that I could finish by the time class was over.

When I arrived at the classroom, I peeked my head in and saw that she wasn't there. Figuring that she wouldn't care, I went in and got situated. As soon as I started my math homework, Ms. Lowenberger and the man from before. I didn't hear what they were talking about when they walked in. When she saw me, she looked surprised.

"Derek," she said. "Shouldn't you be at lunch?"

"Wasn't hungry," I lied.

"Oh, well since you're here, do you think you can do me a little favor?" she asked.

"Sure," I said, surprised.

"Do you think you could run down to the office and pick up some papers for me? Just tell them I sent you," she said.

"Sure," I repeated, standing up and walking towards the door. When I walked past the man, he smiled at me. I just nodded and walked out. Finding the stairs, I headed downstairs and made my way to the office. Walking in, I spotted the old secretary sitting at her desk. She wasn't too happy about having to get up to get the papers and after she gave them to me, she rushed me out. I just rolled my eyes and started back to the physics room. When I got there, I stopped and listened. The man was still there and they were talking.

"You know as well as me that it's happening. And soon," he said.

"I know, Michael, but what are we supposed to do?" she asked in desperation, "They're just children. Half of them don't even know how to use their powers."

"But think of the ones that do," he said. "I don't want them to get hurt, but if we do nothing, we can guarantee that no student will remain uninjured. I agree, the majority don't understand what they can do, but there are those who_ do_ understand and know exactly what they are doing. Take Souza for example."

I stiffened when I heard my name spoken. He continued on. "We both know that it was him and his brother that broke into the school. The boy that Marcel assigned said it was a werewolf and there are only three werewolves in this school. If Souza can get in and out without getting caught, he knows what he's doing."

"But he did get caught," she pointed out.

"But he was out before Malloy could even enter the room. And he didn't even leave a trace. It was his brother that dropped that colored pencil set."

"And what makes you think that he will believe us if we tell him? What sane person will?"

"I know that if we just came out and told the students, they'd think we were crazy and tell Marcel. But think about it. When Souza broke into to the school, he didn't go to computer lab or to any of the rooms with valuable equipment. No, he went to the office where the information for the entire school is kept. That's all he took. He was _looking_ for that information. Because he _knows_ that there is something going on."

"Even if he does know, why would he believe _us?_ He's not going to trust us."

"But he'll listen. That's enough. If we can get the information to him, he can determine what he wants to do with it."

"I still don't think it's right. He's only seventeen. He probably hasn't even started changing yet. How can we expect these inexperienced children to fight with us? They shouldn't be expected to help. What happened to them isn't their fault."

_What? What the hell happened to us? _I chose that moment to enter the classroom, acting as if I had no idea what they were talking about. I just handed her the papers and returned to my desk. When I sat down, I looked up to see the man leaving. Ms. Lowenberger looked frustrated and she turned once to look at me before turning around and writing the lesson on the board. It wasn't long after that when the students started to slowly come in. I was really hoping the idiot next to me was gone, but no such luck.

After physics, I went downstairs to French. I had a lot on my mind and didn't even notice Simon standing in front of the classroom talking to Chloe.

"Hey, bro," Simon said.

I looked up and said, "Hey."

"You okay?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, just thinking," I said.

"Well, I think I will leave Ms. Chloe in your hands and I will mosey on to algebra," Simon said, tipping his invisible hat.

"Bye," Chloe said, following me into the room. She seemed to be in a good mood.

"What's with you?" I asked.

"Huh, oh, nothing," she said, "Just in a good mood I guess."

"Something happen at lunch?" I asked.

"No," she said. "Just normal lunch stuff."

"Huh," I said. "So, learn anything in biology?"

"Trying to start a conversation?" she asked. "Okay, I'll bite. Yes, I did. I learned that Mitch Hogus can shove his entire fist in his mouth."

"Did he get it out?" I asked.

"Eventually," she said.

"Why the hell did he shove his fist in his mouth?" I asked.

"He was trying to impress Annie Douglas."

"Did it work?"

"Not exactly. When he finally got his fist out, a bunch of drool came out with it and she moved to the other side of the room."

"Pleasant."

"So, did you learn anything in physics?"

"Quite a bit," I answered.

"Such as?"

"Such as the teachers have a secret agenda."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I'll tell you after school."

"Okay, I'll wait as long as you promise me something."

"Like what?"

"Like you have to buy me an ice cream or something for making me wait so long."

"I can do that."

"Good."

After French, I walked to Chloe to theatre. She didn't suspect anything. I waited until Jake showed up before I left. We said goodbye and I headed off to criminology. I didn't really pay attention at all during class. My mind was too focused on what Ms. Lowenberger and the man were talking about. They obviously knew that the school was filled with Supernaturals and they obviously knew that I was a werewolf. The question was how. And why did they keep talking about us helping them? Helping them with what?

I barely noticed when the final bell rang and everybody started leaving. I followed suit and left. On my way to my locker, I passed the biology room and the man stepped out.

"Derek," he said.

I stopped and turned around.

"Can I speak with you for a minute?"

I glanced down the hallway and followed him into the room.

"I'm guessing that you don't know who I am," he said walking to his desk.

"The biology teacher?" I asked.

"Technically," he said smiling. "My name is Michael Drake. You can call me Michael."

"Okay?" I said.

"I know how this must seem," he said. "But there is a matter that I must speak to you about."

"I kinda have to meet somebody," I said.

"This won't take long," he said, "But it does involve somewhat sensitive information, so…"

He mumbled something and I heard the door shut behind me. I craned my neck and saw an empty classroom. When I turned back, he was watching me.

"I realize that would have been a rather stupid thing to do in the presence of a student, but you're not exactly a regular student, are you Derek?"

"I don't know what you mean," I lied.

"I think you do. And my suspicions were confirmed by your reaction to my spell."

Figuring I was caught anyway, I said, "So you're a sorcerer?"

"That's right," he admitted. "And you're a werewolf. And knowing that, I know that you heard my conversation with Miranda."

"What are you fighting?" I asked, getting to the point.

"That's a complicated question," he said. "But we don't have much time, so I'm going to tell you something important and I want you to listen to me, okay?"

I nodded and he continued. "This is not a normal school. You know this. But I don't think you realize the dangers that come with it. Not all of the students here are like us. Some are completely normal and some are relations. And the rest of the school _is_ like us. But not all of them are _with_ us. Some of them have been corrupted by Marcel."

"Liam and his gang," I guessed.

"Exactly," he said. "Liam and his gang are one of the threats. They are Marcel's personal assets."

"What do they want?" I asked.

"Power," he said. "But like all power, it comes with a price. They want a supernatural world without the interference of the powerless."

"What does this have to do with me?" I asked.

"Not all of us in this school support his idea. I'm one of them and so is Miranda. I want your help and expertise. Marcel has two werewolves on his side, but you're smarter than both of them combined. With your abilities and your brains, you are more powerful than them and we need your help. Marcel is raising an army of Supernaturals. We are trying to do the same, but most Supernaturals don't understand the threat. That's where you students come in. We need you. You, Derek, especially and you're siblings along with a few others."

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"For now, I need to know if you are planning on attending the dance on Friday," he said.

"Yeah, I am," I said.

"Good. I need you to watch over the students. There will be teachers watching, but they are not all on our side."

"You think that something is going to happen at the dance?" I asked.

"Yes, I do," he said.

"What do I tell everyone?" I asked.

"Nothing for now. I don't want them to be paranoid," he said. "Are you doing anything after school tomorrow?"

"I don't have anything planned," I answered.

"Good. Can you meet me here after school?" he asked.

"Sure," I said.

"Alright, you can go meet Ms. Saunders," he said.

"How do you know I'm meeting Chloe?" I asked.

"From what she told us last week," he said, standing up.

"What did she say?" I asked, confused.

"When we were having a discussion about the colored pencils that Simon dropped, Alice, that's Ms. Tuppern, wanted to suspend you boys and Chloe rushed into the room and immediately said that we couldn't do that. She then proceeded to lie and said that she had spent the evening with you working on her science project."

"Chloe did that?" I asked, strangely proud of her.

"Yes, she did," he said, smiling. "If I was you, I'd keep an eye on her. Something tells me that she won't take no for an answer."

I nodded and left the room. _Great. Even more information to process. I'm not leaving Chloe's until next week. _I turned the corner and saw Jake standing with Chloe at my locker. _Good. He listened._ I casually walked up. Chloe saw me first and straightened. When Jake turned to see what she was looking at, he saw me and nodded discreetly. He said goodbye to Chloe and to me when he walked past me towards the gym.

"What did he have to say?" I asked casually.

"We were just talking about the dance," she answered. "He has to arrive early to set up with his band, so Maggie is coming over to my place to get ready. Do you know if Simon is picking Maggie up or are they meeting each other at the dance?"

"Well, I'm driving him, not that he knows I'm going, so probably the latter. Or, we could pick both of you up at the same time in the same vehicle and that solves two problems."

"What was the second problem?"

"That was the unspoken part of your question in which you were wondering if I was going to pick you up."

She playfully hit my arm and I opened my mouth to speak when I was, yet again, interrupted.

"Dad can't pick us up," Simon said behind me. I turned around to see him standing there.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He has a meeting," Simon said.

Groaning, I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"You can walk to my place when you're done," Chloe said next to me. I looked at her and Simon said, "Why?"

"I'm going to Chloe's," I said. "I'm helping her with her math."

"And that's gonna take until five?" he asked, not even questioning my choice of going to Chloe's instead of the library.

"Have you seen Chloe's math skills?" I asked. If Simon wasn't standing next to me, I would've been kicked, I just know it.

"No, but I'll take your word for it," he answered, smiling at Chloe. "But I could do that. Is it far?"

"No," she said. "I walked here today. If you have paper and a pencil, I can write down the directions."

"I have some," I said, grabbing out my notebook and handing it to Chloe as well as a pen. She accepted it and scribbled down something before handing it to Chloe. "I also wrote my number on their in case you get lost. You probably won't, but who knows." "Thanks," Simon said. He pocketed the piece of paper and left towards the gym.

"He's not very bright, is he?" Chloe asked.

We exchanged a look and I answered, "It makes me feel better about not actually being related to him."

"What? Is obliviousness hereditary?" she asked.

"You never know," I said, shutting my locker. "Ready to add fuel to the fire?"

"What fire?" she asked.

"The rumor that we're dating," I said.

"How are we adding fuel?"

"By leaving together."

"Oh. Well, then. By all means."

We walked out of the building together and across the parking lot to my car. I waited until she was situated before starting the engine and pulling out. I still remembered the way to her place, so it didn't take that long to get there. She showed me where to park and we went inside. She complained, but I carried her bag as well as mine. I could tell that hers was extremely full by seeing her trying to lug it up the stairs. To save time, I just reached out and grabbed it from her. So all the way up to the top floor, I heard her telling me that she could carry it herself. When we finally did step off the last stair, I set hers down and watched her attempt to lift it. It took a while, but she finally did it, only to half to set it back down to fish her keys out of her pocket. She didn't complain when I picked up her bag this time.

Stepping into Chloe's apartment, I was instantly hit with the smell of vanilla and another scent, which I assumed was her father. It wasn't the strong fake smell of vanilla that burned my nostrils, but a more subtle scent that seemed to mess with my senses a little. Shaking my head to relieve myself of the smell, I followed Chloe into her living room.

"Do you want something to drink?" she asked, playing the host.

"Not right now," I said.

"Okay," she said. "Do you want to work on math first?"

"Yeah. The other thing is going to take longer."

So she nodded and settled down in front of the coffee table. I sat down next to her and waited for her to get out her math stuff. I watched her set her book and notebook on the table as well as a pencil and her calculator.

"Where do you want to start?" I asked.

"With the packet," she said, setting it down in front of me. I read over the problem and then handed her back the packet.

"Try to work it out," I instructed. "I'll explain what you did wrong when you get done."

She nodded and started. I watched her and made a mental note of the exact moment when she made her error. When she finished, she was completely off. I grabbed the pencil from her and a new sheet of paper and starting going step by step with her. She leaned against me while I wrote and nodded at the appropriate intervals. When I was done, I would give her a new problem like the one I had just explained. It took her a few times, but eventually she would get it.

After about two hours, Chloe was starting to fall asleep against me and I decided it was time to move on to more important things. I shook her awake and she glanced around.

"Sorry," she said.

"S'okay," I said. "But I still have to talk to you."

She sat up straight when I said that and motioned for me to continue.

"Okay, I'm not really sure where to start, so I'll just go," I said. "The school isn't normal. A lot of the students are Supernaturals, like us and I think that it was intentional. When we broke into the school, I copied Davidoff's files onto a USB drive but it was encoded. I gave the drive to Tori and she decrypted some of it. There's a list on it that has the names of all the students and it tells what supernatural race they are."

"Am I on there?" she asked.

"Yeah, and all your friends as well and Simon, Tori, and me."

"How do they know what we are?"

"I'm not sure about that. My source wasn't exactly specific."

"Your source? You're working with someone?"

"You're biology teacher, sort of."

"Mr. Drake?"

"Yeah. He pulled my into his classroom today after school and said he needed my expertise. I also heard him talking to my physics teacher. Apparently he was impressed by how well I can break into school and not get caught. Anyway, he said that Davidoff was raising some army to extinguish the human race. He disagrees with Davidoff's vision and there are some teachers there who agree so they want the students help in stopping Davidoff."

"What does that have to do with you, exactly?"

"He knows I'm a werewolf. He says that there are only three werewolves in the school and the other two are on Davidoff's side. I don't think he has enough supporters if he needs the help of the students. He also said that he especially needs me and my siblings, as well as some other students. I don't know what makes me or Simon or Tori any different."

"Davidoff said you were valuable," Chloe burst out as if she was just remembering it.

"When?" I asked.

"I sort of eavesdropped on a conversation between Davidoff, Ms. Wallus, Ms. Tuppern, and Mr. Drake. They were talking about the colored pencils and Ms. Tuppern wanted to suspend you but Davidoff said that you and Simon were too valuable."

"Would that be the same conversation where you lied to the teachers about where I was on the night of the break in?"

"How do you know about that?"

"Drake."

"So he _did _know I was lying."

"Why did you lie to them? You could have been in serious trouble if they found out."

"Because I didn't want you to get in trouble," she said, looking down at her feet. I couldn't help myself. I leaned down and ducked underneath her downward-turned head to press my lips against hers. She seemed shocked at first before she responded. Her hand found my cheek and she rested her hand against it. I wound my arm around her waist and pulled her to me, earning a small squeak from her before she recovered and continued. I felt her wrap her arm around my neck and I used that opportunity to lift her the rest of the way onto my lap. She opened her mouth slightly and just when our tongues met, there was a knock on the door.

I pulled back, growling. "If that's Simon…"

"Want me to answer it?" she asked, breathless.

"No," I said, "I'll do it. It probably is Simon."

I reluctantly lifted her from my lap and got up. Making my way to the door, I took a deep breath to calm myself before opening the door. Sure enough, Simon was standing on the other side, as well as Tori.

"Found it," Simon said, seeming quite proud of himself. I motioned them in. "I've got good news."

"What?" I asked.

"Jake didn't win," Simon said, excited. "I was thinking about it and I remembered that Jake had to do the asking. He didn't win."

"You two need a life," Tori said, walking past us.

I half agreed with her. I followed her into the living room and saw Chloe was sitting on the couch looking as if nothing had happened.

"Hey," she said when she saw us.

"Nice place," Simon said. "Can I move in?"

Chloe laughed. "We have a guest room."

"I call dibs," Simon shouted. When nobody protested, he said, "I'll send for a moving truck."

He went over to the couch and plopped down next to Chloe. "How've you been?"

"Terrible," she said jokingly. "Derek's been making me do math."

"That bastard," Simon said, looking over at me. I just rolled my eyes and sat down in one of the chairs. Tori chose the other one and grabbed out her phone, obviously choosing to ignore us.

"So how's the math going?" Simon asked.

Chloe looked at me I nodded. Simon looked between us with a confused look on his face.

"What's going on?" Simon asked.

"I guess I need to tell you guys, too," I said. Tori looked up from her phone. "Simon, go into my bag and pull out my laptop."

"Is this about what was on those files?" Tori asked.

"What files?" Simon asked.

"The ones we took from the school," I said, "And yeah."

"Dude!" Simon said, pointing to Chloe.

"She knows," I said.

"I'm not going to be the one to tell Dad you told her," he said.

"He already knows," I said.

"Oh," he said. Looking at Chloe, he said, "You don't think we're lunatics, do you?"

She smiled and held out her hand. "Necromancer. Nice to meet you."

"Cool. I've never met one before."

"Focus," I said, grabbing my laptop from him. I typed in the password and opened the files. Setting it back down, I said, "We need to talk."

Simon sat up straight at my serious tone. I continued. "I've already told Chloe this and you guys already know a little. To sum it up, the school is made up of Supernaturals, both students and teachers. It is being run by Marcel Davidoff, who is raising an army to exterminate the human race and he's using the students to do it. Michael Drake, your biology teacher, and some of the teachers are trying to stop him and they need the students who haven't been corrupted. Any questions so far?"

"Who do they have on their side so far?" Tori asked.

"I'm just going off guesses for most of this, but Davidoff, Tuppern, Wallus, Diane, Liam Malloy, Ramon Santos, Royce Banks and most likely Amber Long."

"How do you know this?" Simon said.

"Davidoff and Diane are obvious. Wallus and Tuppern because according to Chloe, they really wanted us suspended. Liam because of what Drake told me and the rest because they are part of Liam's gang."

"Who's Diane?" Chloe asked.

"My mom," Tori said, hatred evident with each word.

"Oh," Chloe said, looking away from Tori and at me.

"How are we supposed to help them?" Tori asked.

"Well, Drake's pretty sure that something is going to happen at the dance. He wants me to watch out in case anything happens."

"I thought you weren't going to the dance," Simon said. "Or did he talk you into it?"

"I was already going," I said.

"Why?"

"I have a date," I said.

Simon looked confused and he glanced over at Chloe. She was looking away with a slight blush. His eyes widened as he understand and he jumped up and shouted "Yes!"

He stopped with his arms still in the air and said, "Wait. Did you ask her?"

"Yeah," I said, covering my ears. Sure enough he did it again. Chloe looked at him like he was crazy and Tori just looked at him, already knowing he was crazy. He sat back down with a huge grin on his face.

"Go on."

Ignoring his previous outburst, I said, "I know that he wants me to watch out, but I think that it would be wise for all of us to keep an eye out."

Chloe screamed and jumped back, hitting Simon. "Beth!"

"Beth? You mean that psycho that kept hitting me with snowballs?" Simon said angrily. To answer him, a pillow rose behind his head and smacked him. He glared at the pillow.

"What does she want?" I asked.

"She says that she has information about the dance," Chloe said.

"Good, what does she know?" I asked, leaning forward.

"She says that it has something to do with Liam, Ramon and Royce. She says that people are going to get hurt," Chloe said.

"Where did you hear this from?" I asked, knowing Beth could hear me.

"Austin Banks, Royce's brother," Chloe said.

"Because we can obviously trust the brother of the guy who's working with the bad guy," Tori said sarcastically.

"I think we can," Chloe said, looking at Tori. "I found him in the gym once, alone. I tried talking to him, but he seemed almost afraid. And Beth says that he's covered in bruises that Royce gave him."

"What is Royce?" I asked.

"Beth says he's telekinetic," Chloe said.

I nodded and said, "I agree with Chloe. I know that it's a long shot, but I say we trust Austin. I've seen him around them. It's obvious that he doesn't want to be there."

"So what's the plan, exactly?" Chloe asked.

"Keep a look out during school for anything suspicious. Keep as far away from Liam, Ramon and Royce as you can," I said. Looking at Chloe, I said, "And you stay away from Amber."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because she has it out for you because you're going to the dance with me," I said. "You are not to go anywhere alone. I've already figured out a system. Jake is going to ask Maggie to meet you at your history class and then walk with you to geometry and then she'll walk with you to English and lunch. After that, Simon will meet you and walk with you to biology and then to French. I'll take you to theatre and Jake will walk you to the gym, your car, etc."

I expected her to be downright pissed, but she surprised me when she nodded and said, "Okay."

"It's not because I think you can't take care of yourself," I said. "I don't trust Amber and I don't want you getting hurt."

"I get it," she said. "Really, Derek, I do. And I appreciate it more because of what I know about Amber."

"So what do we tell Dad?" Simon asked.

"We don't," Tori said. "What makes you think he'll let us do ahead with this if he knew?"

"Tori's right," I said. "Dad doesn't find out."

"What do we do if he does find out?" Simon asked.

"Play dumb," Tori said, "You should be very good at that. You can't do anything else."

He flipped her off.

"As for the dance," I said, steering the conversation back to the plan. "We all need to be cautious. I'll get a hold of Jake and tell him to watch out too. He'll arrive early because the band. I'll be driving us. We'll stop here and pick up Chloe and Maggie and we'll go to the dance."

"Are we allowed to dance and hang out?" Tori asked.

"Yeah. You want to appear to be completely naïve. So dancing is good," I said.

"And besides that?" Simon asked.

"Just prepare for something to happen. We'll go from there," I said.

They all nodded and I glanced at my watch. "We should probably be going. It's getting late and Dad's gonna be home soon."

They nodded and I got up and put my laptop back in my bag. Chloe walked us to the door. We put on our coats and grabbed our bags. Before we left, I walked over to Chloe and kissed her quickly, not caring that Simon and Tori were watching. When I turned around, Simon's mouth was hanging down and Tori said, "Finally."

"Bye," Chloe said.

"Bye," I said.

Tori walked out first and I grabbed Simon by the back of his shirt and dragged him out before he recovered just before we got to the stairs, which was good for him because I was all for dropping him down the stairs. And I doubt Tori would have stopped him.

When he snapped out of it, he practically shouted, "What the hell was that! How long have you two been doing that?"

"Since Saturday," Tori answered for me. She went down first.

"How could you tell Tori before me?" he asked.

"I didn't tell her," I said. "She walked in on us."

"That is not fair!" he said.

I just rolled my eyes and followed Tori down. At least Tori could bind him when we got in the car.

**Okay, so what do you think? If anybody says this is too short, I'm not writing for two months, I swear. 26 ½ pages single-spaced, 8, 964 words. I would have had this up sooner, but I had to go to bed because I had to wake up early for a dentist appointment. They got more painful in six months. Anyway, what do you think is going to happen next? I want to know your predictions.**


	21. Experiments

**I now believe that homework is a teacher's way of getting back at their own teachers. I'm really sorry about the month long wait. I have had more homework this semester in three and a half weeks that I have had in a year of AP classes. Anyway, I'm really hoping to get back on track with my writing so that I can finish this story up in the next few chapters (fingers crossed) and finish my other story, Title Pending. I have way too many ideas for other stories that I want to start, but I have to finish these first. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**The answer to the last riddle was your name.**

_Why do firemen wear red suspenders?_

**Chloe's POV**

I cracked my eye open and saw it was 6:20. _Ten more minutes of sleep._ Burying my head farther into the pillow, I sighed and started falling back asleep. Just as I was almost asleep, my phone rang. Groaning, I kept my head in my pillow as I reached out for my phone. I missed it the first two times, but eventually found it. I brought it to my ear and mumbled sleepily, "Hello?"

"Wake up," a deep voice said on the other end. "I'm picking you up."

"Why?" I asked. "I'm perfecting capable of driving."

"Because I don't trust Amber not to be waiting for you when you park your car," he said.

"Should I be annoyed that you won't let me take a step without you making sure I'm not going to step on a grain of sand?" I asked, "Or appreciative that you're so concerned for my safety?"

"I'd go with option two just because I don't want to get yelled at," he said. I could hear talking in the background and recognized the voices as Kit's and Simon's.

"Good choice," I answered, smiling sleepily.

"Wake up," he said again.

"I am up," I protested.

"You're still in bed," he said.

"But my eyes are open," I said.

"Are not," he said. Opening them, I said, "Now they are."

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes and either you get up or I'll have to go in and flip you off your bed," he said.

"How are you going to get in?" I asked, a bit saucily. "You don't have a key."

"The spare is on top of the door frame," he answered.

I sat straight up and said, "How do you know that?"

"Because you watch too many movies," he said, a hint a smile in his voice. "And either you don't get up and I'm forced to use the spare key and flip you off your bed, or you move the key before I get there, which forces you to get up anyway. Your choice."

"Jerk," I said, pushing the blanket back and shifting so that my legs were off the bed.

"Good morning to you, too," he said, "Fifteen minutes. Be ready."

The phone clicked, signaling that he hung up. _He must be a morning person._ I set my phone on my nightstand and ran my fingers through my hair, holding back a yawn. Looking around my partially lit room, all I wanted to do was curl up in my warm bed and drift off into a heavy sleep. Instead, I stood up and went to my closet, and grabbed the first set of presentable clothes I could find. I half expected Beth to randomly show up and insist that I find something else, but she didn't. I quickly changed and finished my morning routine with five minutes to spare.

There was a knock on the front door and I remembered that Dad was home. _How am I going to explain to him why a boy was picking me up for school?_ I heard the door open and hushed conversation, but I was too far away to make out the words.

"Chloe!" Dad called. "Your ride is here."

I turned the corner and saw Tori standing in the doorway. I fought the urge to look confused and just walked to the door. Grabbing my jacket, I followed Tori out and said, "Bye, Dad."

Neither of us said a word as we went down. I wasn't scared of Tori, but she did make me a little nervous, so I kept my mouth shut. I didn't really want to open my mouth and say something to piss her off only to end up lying in a pile at the bottom of the stairs. When we got to the bottom, I followed her outside and saw Derek's car parked out front. Tori got in back with Simon. Smiling, I opened the passenger door and got in. Derek waited for me to get buckled in and then pulled out.

"Why did you send Tori up?" I asked.

"I was trying to avoid explaining why a random guy that your dad has never met is picking you up for school," he said. "That and I didn't want you to get that lecture."

"That was a good idea," I agreed. "But why did you have to show up so early. I didn't even get breakfast."

"Which is why," Simon said, reaching over the seat and handing me a bag, "We brought you this."

I opened it and smiled. Inside was a bottle of orange juice and a doughnut, the kind you get when in a hurry at a gas station. "Thanks."

"It was Simon's idea," Derek said. "Apparently it's considered rude to wake someone up early in order to protect them from crazy cheerleaders and not bring breakfast."

I laughed. "Well, Simon's right."

"Ha!" Simon said.

"There's a first time for everything," Derek mumbled.

Shaking my head, I reached in and grabbed the doughnut. Taking a bite, I turned to Derek and said, "So, am I even allowed to go to the bathroom alone? Or does somebody need to follow me into the stall, too?"

He ignored my sarcasm and said, "That's what Beth is for."

"She's not even here," I said.

"I know," he said. "She's following Amber until we get to school."

"Since when did she become _your _ghost?" I asked, finishing off my doughnut.

"Since we have a common interest," he answered. He slowed down and I saw that we were at the school.

"What's that?" I asked.

"You," he said, shutting off the engine and pocketing the key. "You can call her now."

I nodded and closed my eyes. Focusing on Beth, I pulled. I peeked out of my right eye and saw her standing outside the car. "She's here."

"Good," Derek said. He grabbed his bag and got out. We all did the same and Derek locked the car. Addressing me, he said, "You will have somebody with you at all times. When they can't be, call Beth. When she's not with you, she'll be monitoring Amber and anybody else I think is a threat."

"Okay," I said. "And are you driving me home then?"

"Yeah," he said. "But before we leave, there's something that I need to do and I want you guys with me."

"Is this going to get me into trouble?" Simon asked.

"With the school, no. With Dad, possibly," Derek said.

"Cool," Simon said, smiling. "Where do you want us to meet?"

"Outside your biology room," he answered.

"Got it," Simon said. He swung his bag over his shoulder and said, "I've gotta talk to coach before class, so see ya later."

We watched him go and Tori left without saying goodbye. I looked up at Derek and said, "Am I safe?"

He looked me in the eyes and said, "I won't let her hurt you."

"And if she tries anything, I'll hit her with a locker again," Beth said.

I turned to her and asked, "When did you hit her with a locker?"

"Yesterday," she said. "And don't worry, she didn't suspect a thing."

"Ready?" Derek asked. I nodded and followed him into the school. I noticed a lot of people staring as we walked in together, most likely because we left together yesterday. A lot more guys were eyeing me and I noticed some girls glaring at me. They were part of Amber's group, so I didn't pay any mind. We stopped at my locker first and he held my bag as I emptied my stuff and refilled it.

"We're getting a lot of attention," I murmured as I shut my locker.

"It'll pass eventually," he said. He handed me my bag. I snuck a glance across the hall and saw some people look away. We walked to his locker next and he repeated my actions. I noticed Liz standing down the hall with Brady. She looked up and saw me. Grinning broadly, she rushed over and threw her arms around my neck, practically choking me.

"I'm so proud of you," she said.

"Liz…choking," I said, trying to loosen her grip. She pulled back and giggled. "Sorry."

"Why are you proud of me?" I asked, rubbing my back.

"You got a date to the dance," she said, bouncing up and down. She turned to Derek and said, "Hi. I'm Liz."

"Derek," he said as he shut his locker.

"I know," she said, excitedly, "I've heard a lot about you."

He looked instantly annoyed and I laughed. She turned to me and whispered, "Is the rumor true?"

"Which one?" I asked.

"You know," she said, looking over at him.

"Oh," I said. I looked at him and I had to hold back a laugh at the look at his face.

"I don't think I should answer that," I whispered back.

"I won't tell anybody," she said, "And I won't ask for a picture."

I saw Derek over her shoulder pinch the bridge of his nose. I looked at her and nodded. She turned around and said, "You should try out for the football team next year."

"I hate football," he said.

"Well, Brady hates basketball and he's on the team," she said. "Anyway, I've got to go. Brady's waiting. Bye."

"Bye, Liz," I said.

"She certainly is…friendly," Derek said, watching her sprint down the hall.

"She's a good friend," I said.

"Is she trustworthy?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "I can trust Liz with anything."

"Think she might want to help?" he asked, looking down at me.

"With the fight thing?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"I can ask."

"Good. Anybody else you can think of?"

"Well, I can ask Maggie and Jake. I'd ask Rae but I doubt she'd want to help."

"I'll ask Jake in government."

"Then I'll ask Maggie in geometry."

The warning bell rang and we started towards history. Even if I didn't like that fact that I couldn't go anywhere alone, I didn't mind that Derek was walking me to class. Somehow it seemed kinda normal, even with the strange looks.

"See you in English," I said.

He nodded and walked down the hall toward his class. I walked into mine and saw Rae staring at me. Sitting down next to her, I asked, "What's the matter?"

"Are you dating him?" she asked, completely serious.

I hesitated before saying, "Yes."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?"

"What do you mean? Is there something wrong with him?"

"No no. It's fine. It's just…," she looked around and leaned in. Quietly, she said, "I think you should be careful."

"He's not dangerous, Rae," I said.

"Of course not," she said. "It's just…I've heard stuff. About his past."

"What about his past?" I asked.

"Oh it's nothing," she said.

Facing the front, I listened to the teacher starting class. While I didn't believe Rae about being careful, it made me wonder. I still didn't know anything about Derek's past, like where he lived before he moved here. I'll have to ask him later.

When class was over, I walked into the hallway to see Maggie waiting for me.

"Jake said I had to meet you," she said. "He didn't tell me why."

"I'll explain later," I said. "Are you doing anything after school?"

"Nope," she said.

"Meet me at Mr. Drake's room after school," I said. "I'll explain later."

"Well, it's better than starting hours of homework," she said.

We walked into geometry and I took out my homework, confidant for once. I might not fully understand it, but I knew that I had everything right. Last night had been really helpful, but I definitely needed more help, not that I minded.

After geometry, Maggie and I walked to English, like normal. And I was in my seat before Derek walked in, which was right after I sat down. He nodded when he saw me looking at him and he made his way to the back.

"Did you ask Jake?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said. "He'll meet us after school."

"Maggie will, too," I said. I took a deep breath and said, "Derek."

"Huh?" he asked, looking over at me.

"Where did you live before you moved here?" I asked.

"Albany," he said.

"Why did you move?"

"Dad got a better job offer," he answered. "What's with all the questions?"

"Well, I don't really know that much about you," I said. "And I'd like to."

"Ask away," he said, leaning back.

"Really?" I asked.

"Why not? I don't have anything to hide," he said. "I'll make you a deal. For every question you ask, I get to ask you one, okay?"

"That sounds fair," I said.

"And since you already asked two, I get two," he said.

"Fine," I said, "Just nothing overly embarrassing."

"I'll save those ones for later," he said. "How long have you known what you are?"

"About a year," I answered. "I, uh, just started seeing them."

"Who explained it to you?" he asked.

"Beth," I said, "And that was your second question."

"Alright, your turn," he said. He looked up and said, "Better save it for later."

I saw that Ms. Wallus had walked in so I closed my mouth. I wouldn't have had an opportunity anyway. She talked the whole hour, barely stopping to breathe. She mostly lectured on the project and how we were to present it. She took a break now and then to complain about something, but she always got back on track.

After English, we said our goodbyes, and Derek left. Maggie was waiting for me at the door with a smile on her face. She linked her arm with mine and said, "Are you ready to tell me the 'nothing' that happened this weekend?"

"There may have been something," I said.

"Something to do with a certain guy's lips?" she asked.

"How could you possibly know that?" I asked.

"Because you left with a certain guy yesterday and arrived with him today," she said.

"There may have been lips," I said, smiling.

"Have there been lips since then?" she asked just as we got to the door of the cafeteria.

"There has," I said.

"So, is this a fling, or actually dating?" she asked.

"Dating," I said. "He's taking me to the dance."

"Good," she said, "It's about time."

Rolling my eyes, I walked in and quickly grabbed my food. I decided to indulge myself today and went with a burger and fries. At least I would get my burger. Rae and Liz were already at the table and locked in conversation. I hoped they would stay that way so that I could eat my fries. Sitting down, I listened for a second to see what they were talking about heard dance and dress.

"Mind if we join you ladies?" Jake said, sitting down on my left side. Simon sat down on Maggie's right.

"What's wrong with your usual table?" Maggie asked.

"Nothing," Jake said, "Just thought a change would be good."

"Plus," Simon said plucking a fry off Maggie's plate, "The other guys don't let us mooch off their plates."

"You have your own fries," Maggie said.

"Yeah, and?" Simon said, grinning.

"What are you guys doing after the dance?" Rae asked.

"Crimes and misdemeanors, the usual," Jake said. "Plus we're gonna grab a slice or something."

"You ladies are welcome to join us," Simon said, he looked at Maggie and said, "What do you think?"

"I don't know," she said, "Will you be picking pepperoni off my pizza?"

"Definitely," he said, grabbing another fry. "Needs ketchup."

"Sorry, I don't have any to mooch off of," Maggie said.

"Ooh! I do," Liz said. She picked it up and handed it over.

"I think we should sit here every day," Simon said.

"I would have to agree," Jake said.

"Well, we ladies might have an objection to that," I said, snatching my own fries away from Jake's greedy fingers.

"So, your band is playing on Friday?" Rae asked.

"Yeah, so prepare for blistered feet," Jake said.

"Flats it is," Liz said.

"What?" Simon and Jake said at the same time.

"Don't ask," I said before Liz could start a lengthy explanation.

We spent the rest of lunch talking about the dance and Jake's band. Liz was pretty excited about that seeing how she was friends with the guitarist. When lunch was over, Simon and I walked to biology. Mr. Drake was just walking out as we got there and he stopped when he saw us. Instead of saying anything, he just nodded as he walked by.

"That was awkward," Simon said.

"Hopefully it won't be after today," I said.

We went in and got situated. Tori was already there and ignoring us, as usual. We could be surrounded by fire while she was safe and she would still ignore us. Simon didn't complain, but I would have liked her to at least be a little civil. Seeing how I was planning on spending time with her brother, I probably would be seeing her more.

Mr. Drake let us work on our projects again today, so Simon and I talked. After a while, I started asking him questions about the whole supernatural world.

"What kind of spells can you do?" I asked.

"Not much right now. I can do a pretty mean knockback. I can send someone two whole feet," he said. "Except now I have to be careful who I practice on. I tried it once on Derek and sent his coke all over his homework. He wasn't very happy. Wanna see the scar?"

I laughed and said, "Where is it?"

"Well, I've got one right here," he said pointing to a mark on his arm. He then pulled up his shirt a little and pointed to a small white scar on his back, "And I've got one here."

"How did he get you in both the arm _and _the back?" I asked.

"Well, the back was from him. The arm was from Tori, who decided to help," he said, glaring at the back of her head.

"Remind me not to get Derek mad at me," I said jokingly

"Oh, he wouldn't hurt you," Simon said. "He might get mad, but he knows when to hold back. The scar was just a lesson. A lesson learned, by the way."

"What other spells do you know?" I asked.

"Well, I can levitate things about a foot. And I'm learning a blur spell," he said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Well, when I cast it, all people see when I move is a blur," he said. "A cover spell would be handier, but I can't do that yet. A cover spell is nobody can see you if you remain perfectly still."

"That does sound like it would be handy," I said. "But who can remain perfectly still?"

"Me when Tori casts a binding spell and then a cover spell and I'm stuck standing in the corner, invisible and unable to move."

I laughed. "Nobody knew you were there?"

"I think Derek suspected, but being Derek, he just sat down and watched TV."

"How long were you stuck like that?"

"About two and a half hours."

"And Derek didn't do anything about it?"

"Nope."

"Poor you," I said.

The bell rang after that and we left. Simon in tow, I walked to French and seeing Derek at his seat, said goodbye to Simon. Derek looked up when I walked in and his eyes met mine, holding them for a few second before I had to look away so that I didn't hit a desk. I sat down in my seat and said, "Hi."

"Hey," he said. "Everything okay so far?"

"With constant bodyguards? Yes, everything is fine," I said.

"Good," he said. "Does your Dad expect you home at a certain time?"

"No," I said. "And if late, I can just say that I had the dance committee after school, why? How long do you think the thing with Mr. Drake will take?"

"I'm not sure, but I was talking about after that," he said. "I thought we could stop and get an ice cream."

"Sure, but why?"

"I owe you, remember? For making you wait so long," he explained.

"I forgot about that," I said. "Does that mean you're buying?"

"Yeah," he said, "But it wouldn't be just us. Simon and Tori would be with. I'd prefer it was just us, but…"

"I get it," I said. Biting my lip, I said, "We could sit at our own table."

He smiled softly and said, "We could do that."

"Okay, then. It's a date. Except that we won't be alone," I said.

"We'll just pretend they're random strangers," he said.

"You're chock full of good ideas today," I said, smiling.

"When have I ever had a bad idea?" he asked.

"Well, changing the same weekend that I was at your house can be considered a bad idea," I said. "I almost drowned remember?"

"Well, it wasn't my idea for you to follow me," he said, defending himself.

"Well, if you had worn a jacket, I wouldn't have been worried about you and I wouldn't have followed you out," I accused.

"That's why you followed me?" he asked. "To give me my jacket?"

"You could have gotten cold. It was below freezing," I said.

He just shook his head and I could see a smile at his lips. "You went outside in below freezing weather in your pajamas and followed me into the woods in order to give me a jacket. _Who_ has the bad ideas?"

"Shut up," I said, hiding my face so that he didn't see me blush.

"Ahh. You guys are so cute together," Beth said from behind me. I turned around and saw her sitting on top of an empty desk.

"What did she say?" Derek asked. I looked at him and said, "Nothing worth repeating."

He nodded and turned to the front, where Ms. Wang was now starting class. Throughout class, I was constantly having to ignore Beth's annoying comments, most of which focused on how cute we were. Luckily for Derek, he didn't have to listen to them or he would have gotten as annoyed as he did this morning. Halfway through class, though, her comments stopped. I discreetly turned my head to see why and discovered that she was no longer behind me. I looked in the other direction and saw that she was sitting next to Austin, who was having a conversation with her via paper.

When class was over, I noticed that Beth left with Austin and I felt a little bad for her. It explained why she was ignoring me after I got together with Derek. _Does she like Austin?_ If so, it's hard to believe that it would work out, the biggest problem being Beth's lack of a heartbeat.

"Chloe?"

I snapped out of it and looked up at Derek. "I was zoning out again, wasn't I?"

"It's starting to be a habit," he said. "Isn't it?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking about Beth and Austin," I said.

"What about them?" he asked, looking confused.

"I think she likes him," I explained.

"That's an unlikely couple," he said.

"I know," I said, looking down the hall at Austin, who was standing at his locker. "I feel kinda bad for her."

"It's understandable," he said. He looked down at me and asked, "Do you feel guilty?"

"A little," I said, looking at me feet.

"You shouldn't," he said. When I started to speak, he interrupted. "I know you feel guilty, but think about it. At least he can see her and she can talk to him. It's better than a lot of ghosts have it."

"And you're right again," I said, smiling up at him. "That's starting to be a habit, isn't it?"

"Ha ha," he said, "Come on, we're going to be late for class."

We walked down the hall together towards theatre. When we got there, Jake was waiting outside.

"I was wondering if you were gonna show up," he said, smiling.

"Got distracted," I said.

He held up his hands and said, "I don't want to know."

"Pervert," I said, walking past him into the room. I walked over to Liz and sat down.

"Hey, Liz. Are you doing anything after school?" I asked.

"Um…I'm going with shopping with Rae at four, why?" she said.

"It's kinda hard to explain, but I was wondering if you wanted to help with something."

"Like a project?"

"Kinda."

"Sure. What do I have to do?"

"Come with me to Mr. Drake's room after school."

"Is it a biology project?"

"No. But he's sort of the…I guess you could call him the leader."

"Is it a club?"

"You could call it that."

"I didn't know Mr. Drake had a club. What kind is it?"

"A secret one."

"Ooh! I love those kinds."

"But it's very important that you keep it a secret. You can't even tell Rae."

She smiled and imitated locking her mouth with a key. She got serious and looked over at Jake, who was trying to get his pencil out of the wires of his notebook.

"Shouldn't we be whispering? What if Jake hears?" she asked.

"He's in the club," I said.

"I'm in what?" he asked, looking up. He brought his finger down and hit the end of the wire, "Ow!"

"The club," Liz said.

"What club?" he asked, looking at me and sucking on the end of his finger.

"You know, the club with Mr. Drake," I said. I was really hoping Derek told his that much.

"Oh, right," he said. "That club."

"How long have you been in it?" Liz asked.

"Not long," he said, looking at me.

"It's fairly new," I explained, "I just started myself. We're having our first club meeting today."

"Who else is in it?" she asked.

"Oh, some people. You'll see when we go," I said.

She and Jake talked about it for the rest of the hour. She seemed to be really excited for it, while Jake was just going along with her excitement. I envied Liz sometimes. The building could be falling apart around her and she'd be optimistic that at least it wasn't raining.

The final bell of the day rang and we packed up. Liz already had her stuff with her, so we stopped at my locker first. Jake left us there and went to his own locker to grab his stuff, but we waited until he got back, at which point we made our way to the biology room. When we turned the corner, I saw Maggie and Simon standing outside the door.

"Hey guys," Liz said. "Are you in the club, too?"

Simon looked at me and I said, "Yes they are."

"Okay, this better not take long. I have homework," Tori said, walking up behind us.

"We're just waiting on D," Simon said.

The door opened and Mr. Drake stepped out. He looked down the hall and waved us in. Walking in, I saw Derek standing at the head of the classroom, leaning against the wall.

"You could have told us you were inside," Simon said, sitting down at one of the desks.

"I was busy," he said.

Everybody sat down at a desk and I walked over and sat on the table next to Derek. He moved his bag off the table so that it was out of my way.

"Okay, is that everybody?" Mr. Drake asked, walking up to his desk.

"Looks like it," Derek said.

"It's not much, but it's more than I expected. We're just waiting on Miranda and then we can get started," he said.

"Who's Miranda?" Simon asked.

"Miranda Lowenberger," Mr. Drake said.

"The physics teacher," Derek explained.

"Gotcha," Simon said.

The door opened and then shut and I turned around to see a woman.

"Okay, now we can begin," Mr. Drake said. "I'll start by introducing myself. I have most of you in class, but some I do not, so my name is Michael Drake, you can call me Michael. This is Miranda Lowenberger, she teaches physics."

"What kind of club is this?" Liz asked.

Mr. Drake, or Michael, looked confused for a second and then glanced over at Derek, who looked down at me. When all eyes pointed to me, I shrunk back and said, "Well I had to say something."

"A club?" Derek asked.

"Well it kinda is," I said quietly. I looked up at him and bit my lip. "You know, a secret one."

He just rolled his eyes and looked over to Michael, who started talking. "Okay, there's something that many of you obviously don't know and I think we should get this out in the open before we start. This 'club' has to do with what you all are hiding. This has to do with Supernaturals."

Everybody but Derek, Simon, Tori, and I sat up straight.

"I know that this comes as a shock, but this school is not what you would consider normal," he said. "There is a significant supernatural population at this school. For example, I am a sorcerer."

"And I am a conspicio half-demon," Ms. Lowenberger, or Miranda, said.

"What's that?" Simon asked.

"I can cause temporary blindness," she explained.

"I think it would benefit our cause if we were all aware of each other's abilities," Michael stated. "Derek?"

He took a deep breath and glanced at me. I offered a small smile and he turned to look at everybody. "I'm a werewolf."

"Do you change with the full moon?" Liz asked.

He scowled and said, "Hollywood crap."

"Maybe we should move on," Michael said. "Chloe?"

"I'm a necromancer," I said. "I can see ghosts."

Simon stood up and said, "I'm a sorcerer. Beyond that, it's pretty obvious."

"Witch," Tori said.

"Shaman," Maggie said. "But I can only heal."

"Shaman," Jake said. "I can't heal, but I can astral project…sort of."

"What do you mean sort of?" Michael asked.

"Want a demonstration?" he asked. "Now you see me…"

A second later, the chair was empty. Even his body was gone.

"Whoa!" Liz said.

"Where did he go?" Michael asked.

Jake cleared his throat and everybody looked behind the desk, where Jake was standing. A second later, the space was empty and Jake was back in his seat.

"You just teleported," Michael said. "That's not a shaman power."

"I know, but my dad's my dad. No demon," he said.

"Then you just astral projected your entire body," he said, "The experiments definitely have had side effects."

"What experiments?" we all said at once.

"I'll explain when we're finished," he said. "Liz?"

"Me next? Okay. I can move things, but I don't know what it's called," she said.

"You, Liz, are a volo half-demon," Michael said.

"I'm a demon?" she said, her smile falling.

"Half-demon," he corrected. "And no, you're not a fiery, horned demon. You are a sixteen year old girl who can move objects with your mind."

"Because that's completely normal," Tori said.

Simon turned around and flipped her off. She then glared at him and he shot out of his chair onto the floor.

"Hey!" he said.

"What Tori had just demonstrated for us is a knockback spell," Michael said. "Though the lack of an incantation is troublesome."

"Why?" Jake asked.

"Sorcerers and witches use incantations to cast spells, like the knockback spell," Derek explained.

"Then how did her spell work?" Jake asked.

"Tori's always been able to do that," Simon said, standing up. "She's never had to say the words."

"Another side effect, I'm afraid," Michael said.

"What are these experiments?" Derek asked.

Michael looked at all of us and took a deep breath. "What do you know about cabals?"

"Not much," Derek said, "There are four cabals, the Nasts, the Boyds, the Cortezes, and the St. Clouds. The St. Clouds have a subdivision where Diane Enright, a member of Davidoff's team, worked, or still works."

"That subdivision was responsible for doing experiments on Supernaturals while they were still in the embryonic stage," Michael explained. "That is where you all come in. Jake's astral projecting and Tori's spells are indicators that the experiments weren't as successful as they had hoped. This subdivision is headed by a man named Todd Banks."

"My uncle," a voice sounded from the door. We all turned and I was surprised to see Austin standing in the doorway. When he saw all of us turn, he looked ready to bolt. Before he could get out, the door slammed in his face. Everyone looked at Michael for an explanation, but I smiled when I saw Beth standing in front of Austin.

"It took me too long to get you in this room! You turn around and march to a seat and sit your ass down!"

I expected Austin to get mad at Beth, but he nodded and found a seat in the middle, far enough from everybody so that he was comfortable, but close enough so that he could hear.

"Thank you for joining us, Austin," Michael said, but Austin just looked down at the desk, obviously trying not to look at Beth and her crossed arms. She could really pull off prison guard.

"For those of you who aren't aware, Austin is a necromancer," Michael said. "Like Chloe."

He looked up at that and looked over at me. I smiled and he looked over at Beth.

"Who's he looking at?" Simon asked.

"Beth," I said.

"Who?" Jake, Maggie, and Liz said at once.

"She's a ghost," I explained. "And a friend of mine."

"I don't like her," Simon muttered, sliding down in his seat with his arms crossed. Derek let out a laugh and I looked over at him.

"Beth helped me break into the school," he said. "And she's very fond of hitting Simon with stuff."

"He's the he who told you not to tell me?" I asked, turning to Beth and pointing at Derek.

"It was a covert operation," she said. "I couldn't break cover."

Austin laughed at that and everybody looked at him funny. "You could have at least told me _after_ I knew he broke into the school."

"Hold on," Jake said. He looked at Derek and said, "_You _broke into the school?"

"I helped," Simon said.

"Nice," Jake said.

"If we can focus, please," Michael said. "Like I was saying, the subdivision is headed by Todd Banks, Austin's uncle. His second in command is Marcel Davidoff, our new principal. The vice principal is Diane Enright, Tori's mother. This subdivision's goal in experimenting on Supernaturals was to eliminate the danger of coming into your powers. They wished to create a weaker supernatural whose powers would not create a threat to their mission. Once they had fulfilled their mission, their plan is to use the results to create a more powerful supernatural."

"Why not just create a powerful one from the start?" Simon asked.

"Because they couldn't guarantee which side the more powerful one would be on," Derek said.

"Exactly," Michael said. "This subdivision is known as the Edison Group. Their mission is to eliminate those without supernatural blood. To create a world of Supernaturals."

"And what does this have to do with us?"Tori asked.

"If you want to start a world solely of Supernaturals," Jake said, "You start where the powers start."

"It is difficult to convince the entire supernatural community to turn against humans," Michael said, "But if you can convince those just coming into their powers…"

"Then they will grow up against humans," Derek finished.

"But they failed," Tori said. "We don't hate humans."

"That was their first mistake," Michael said. "By allowing you to remain with your parents, they allowed your parents to influence you. They attempted to prevent this influence with Derek, but by allowing Kit to take custody, they compromised it."

I looked up at Derek, who was looking at the floor. "What is he talking about?"

"Nothing," he mumbled.

"Derek-"

"Just drop it, okay?" he snapped, quickly looking at me and then back at the floor.

His response hurt, but I kept my mouth shut and looked away.

"Continuing on," Michael said, "The Edison Group, upon seeing their mistake, sent Marcel and Diane here. This school was built by the St. Clouds to teach their experiments, as well as other supernatural. They wanted to keep the experiments together so that they could monitor them better. Knowing that you all failed in your misanthropy against humans, the Edison Group has decided to step it up a notch. They are beginning their elimination of the human population. And they are starting on Friday."

"The dance is Friday," Liz said.

"I know," he said. "And that is why you are all here. Because not all Supernaturals believe in the Edison Group's vision. However, we can't stop them on our own. We need your help. I was hoping to keep this information between Derek and myself, but he felt that you should all be informed. Something is going to happen at the dance. And we need to stop it from spreading. We need to stop Marcel from eliminating the human population."

"He's going to kill the human students?" Maggie asked, looking a little sick.

"And those who get in his way," Michael said.

"So we could die?" Simon said.

"If we don't stop them on Friday, eventually you will all be eliminated as failures," he said. "I understand how scary this seems, but if we can devise a plan of some sort, we may be able to stop them."

"How about partners?" Jake asked. "Stick people together and place them where their powers could be handy."

Michael smiled and said, "That is a very good idea."

"I'm with Chloe," Derek said, looking up.

Michael looked at both of us and nodded. "I think that would be wise. And I think Tori should be with Austin, if he's willing to help."

We all turned and he looked over at Beth before nodding.

"Good. Austin's powers are less reliable, which means that Beth, wherever you are, should be a part. And I believe that Liz should be with Simon, which leaves Maggie and Jake. How are you with astral projecting other objects?"

"You mean like a person?" Jake asked.

"Yes."

"I can do that. Not very far, but I can do it," he said.

"Good, then I want you and Maggie to be on look out for those who are injured so that you can astral project and Maggie can try and help."

"Sounds good," Maggie said.

"Now, our biggest threat is Marcel and Diane and also a few keys students: Liam Malloy, Ramon Santos, Amber Long, and Royce Banks. Liam and Ramon are werewolves, so they are the most dangerous. Amber is telepathic, so beware of her. And Royce, like Liz, is a Volo half-demon."

"So watch out for them," Liz said.

"Yes. Any more questions? I feel we are running out of time."

When nobody spoke, Michael said, "Alright, see you Friday."

Everybody silently stood up and gathered their things. Austin was the first to leave, obviously uncomfortable with crowds. Liz was next, already late for her shopping trip with Rae. Then it was Jake and Maggie, who just nodded and left, and we were left alone.

"Home?" Simon said, standing up.

"Sounds good," Derek said.

I followed behind Derek as we left the room and walked down the hall.

"So I guess that means no ice cream," I mumbled, looking down at the floor. Derek stopped and I almost collided with him. He looked back at me and said, "Still want it?"

"If you want to get home, I understand," I said.

"I owe you an ice cream," he said.

"It can wait," I said.

"No," he said, "It can't."

I couldn't read the look in his eyes, but he turned around and started walking again.

"I could definitely use an ice cream," Simon said. "Preferably something with hot fudge."

"Carmel is better," Tori said.

"You're crazy. Hot fudge is the best," Simon said.

I zoned out their arguing and focused on Derek. _What did Michael mean when he said that they tried to prevent influence with Derek? _I wanted answers, but I couldn't force them out of him. Based on his reaction, he definitely needed time.

…,,,…

Fifteen minutes later, Derek and I were sitting by ourselves on the other side of the ice cream place from Tori and Simon, who were arguing over ice cream choices. Derek was unusually silent and I was concerned.

"Derek?" I asked softly.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?" I asked, looking up.

"For snapping at you. I didn't mean it," he said.

"What was he talking about?" I asked. "Simon said you're his foster brother. But you're not from a foster home, are you?"

Derek sighed and stuffed his spoon into his ice cream. "No. I was raised in a hospital."

"What kind of hospital?" I asked.

"A research hospital run by the St. Clouds," he said.

"How long did you live there?" I asked.

"Until I was five and Dad got me out," he said. "I don't really remember that much, but I remember that…I didn't like it there."

"I'm sorry for making you think about it," I said.

"No, I needed to tell you. You deserve to know," he said.

"Do you ever talk about it?" I asked, "With Simon or your Dad?"

"No. I don't want them to think I remember anything," he said.

I reached over and placed my hand over his. He smiled a little and laced his fingers through mine.

"I was in a group home last year for a week," I said.

"For what?" he asked.

"For schizophrenia. I had won an opportunity to attend some big art school in New York City. I was walking to the hotel and I was being followed. When somebody walked right through him, I freaked. I told my aunt about it and she took me to the hospital. They diagnosed me with schizophrenia and made me stay in a group home for week to see if I was just imagining it or if I really was a schizo."

"When did you find out about your powers?" he asked.

"About a month later when Beth showed up in my room," I said.

He laughed and I looked up. He smiled and said, "Guess we're both kinda screwed up, huh?"

I smiled back. "Can I see you?"

"What do you mean? You're not seeing me now?

"I meant wolf you."

"Oh."

"You don't have to. I was just kinda hoping."

"Nobody has seen me as a wolf. Not even Dad."

"Well, I kinda already did."

"And then you ran away in terror and almost drowned."

"In my defense, if I had known it was you, I never would have run."

He stared at his ice cream for a minute before saying, "Okay."

"Really? When?"

"How about Friday after the dance?" he said, looking up. "You can stay over and I'll bring you with me."

"What do I tell my dad this time?" I asked.

"Just tell him that you're hanging out with a bunch of friends to celebrate school being over for two weeks," he offered.

"Isn't that what the dance is for?" I asked.

"I'm giving you an excuse, stop arguing," he said.

"Sorry," I said, smiling. "So Friday. You promise?"

"Yeah. I promise. But you have to promise me something, too," he said.

"What?" I asked.

"Don't run this time. I don't want to have to save you again," he said.

"You don't like saving me?" I joked.

"I don't like you being in a danger," he said, completely serious. "Promise me."

"I promise," I said.

He looked out the window and said, "It's getting late. I should probably get you home before your dad gets worried."

"That's a good idea," I said.

We stood up and tossed the rest of our melted ice cream. It took Derek a minute to get Tori and Simon to stop arguing and then we left. In ten minutes, we at my apartment. Derek followed me up and waited in the hall for me to get my key out of my pocket.

"See you tomorrow?" I said.

"Count on it," he said. He leaned down and I wrapped my arms around neck, pulling him down. After everything that happened today, his lips felt really good. After a minute, he pulled back and I looked up, questioning him.

"I can hear your dad coming," he said.

"Handy," I said.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow. Same time," he said.

"See you then," I said, picking up my bag and unlocking the door. I waited until he was down the stairs before I opened the door and went inside. Once inside, I quickly said hi to Dad and then went directly to by room, where I dropped onto my bed and grabbed the nearest pillow. Holding it tight against me, I closed my eyes and began to process everything.

**Okay, so the beginning may have sucked a little, but I think the ending was better. **


	22. Awkward

**Time flies when all I'm doing is sleeping and blowing off homework. I didn't realize that it's been almost a month since I updated. Anyway, I have decided that there are going to be two more chapters of this story, not counting this one. Three max. When this story is done, I will post a nonchapter which is going to be a list of story options that I'm considering and I want you guys to chose which one you want me to do. **

**The answer to the last riddle was to keep their pants up.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

_What goes around a yard but doesn't move?_

**Derek's POV**

_What's the stupid buzzing?_ Opening my eyes, I looked over. _Damn. My alarm. _I reached over and shut it off, debating whether or not to actually wake up. On one hand, I'd get to sleep. On the other, Chloe would be in danger. Up it is. Throwing off my blankets, I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I quickly dressed and was downstairs before Dad could get the rest of the coffee poured into his cup.

"You're up early," he commented, sipping the hot brew.

"Not up early, just ready early," I answered. I grabbed an apple out of the bowl on the counter and took a bite.

"Any particular reason you're ready early?" he asked.

"I'm giving Chloe a ride to school," I explained.

He nodded and finished the cup.

"Is it okay is Chloe if comes over after the dance tomorrow?" I asked.

"You're going to the dance?" he asked, looking surprised.

"I didn't tell you?" I asked. _Oops._

"No, you didn't," he said. "Well, I guess as long as her dad doesn't mind, I don't care. Where's she going to sleep?"

"I was going to clean out one of the extra rooms after school," I said.

"Well, I have a few extra minutes before leaving for work, so I'll see what I can get done before you get home," he said.

"Thanks, Dad," I said.

Footsteps could be heard crashing down the stairs and Simon bounded into the kitchen a second later.

"What? No breakfast?" he asked. "Aren't you supposed to provide for your children?"

"I am providing for you. I'm providing you with the opportunity to learn how to cook," Dad answered, smiling.

"I can cook," he argued.

"For the rats, maybe," Tori said, walking in behind him and lightly pushing him over as she walked past.

"We don't have any rats," Simon said. Grinning, he added, "They're too afraid of D."

I rolled my eyes and walked out of the kitchen. When I got to the front door, I took out my phone and clicked through my contacts until I found Chloe. Hitting call, I waited until she finally answered.

"Huh?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"Up," I said.

"Crap. I overslept," she said. I could hear blankets rustling and then a crash as she tumbled to the floor. Swearing followed and I raised my eyebrows.

"Apparently I'm a bad influence on you," I said, smiling.

"I'll have you know that I was swearing way before I met you," she said.

"And how many times did you swear after falling out of bed," I asked, already knowing the answer.

There was a pause and then, "Shut up."

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes," I said, "Do you want me to grab you something for breakfast?"

"Thanks, but I'll just grab an apple or something," she answered.

"Alright," I said. "I'll see you when I get there."

"Bye," she said.

"Bye," I said, hanging up. I yelled to the kitchen, "I'm leaving. You have one minute."

I picked up my bag and headed out to my car. I was instantly pelted with slow as it came crashing down. Looking around the yard, I saw that it had snowed last night and apparently had decided not to stop. _Just great._

I pushed through the snow to my car and prayed that it would start. It wasn't known to be testy in bad weather, but there's always that one time. Getting in, I tossed my bag in the backseat and put my hand on the key. I paused before turning and heard the engine gently come to life. Breathing out a sigh in relief, I buckled my seat belt and turned the wipers on to brush of the snow that had accumulated overnight. The passenger door opened and Simon got in, shutting the door after him.

"You'd think they'd close school or something," he complained.

"It's not that much," I said.

"Yeah, but by the time school is out, there's going to be more," he said.

"Well, look on the bright side," I said. "We might not even get out of the driveway."

He sat up straighter. "The bright side sound good."

Tori finally got in and said, "Yuck. Why can't they cancel school?"

"Maybe they'll close school early," Simon said.

"How would that help?" Tori asked. "We still have to show up."

"How about we enjoy a nice quiet drive so that I concentrate on the snowy roads and not crash," I suggested, putting the car into drive.

They both shut up and I pulled forward. I was a little worried about getting through the driveway, but the car made it and soon I was on the main road. Luckily the plows had gone through and I could drive a little faster.

"We picking up Chloe?" Simon asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"You gonna stop and get her breakfast again?" he asked.

"No, she said she'd grab something," I answered.

He nodded and turned back to look out the window. After a few minutes, he said, "You worried about tomorrow?"

"A little," I admitted. "I would have preferred a little more time to get prepared, but…"

"I know what you mean," Simon said. "I keep thinking that I should have practiced my spells more. That I'd be better and maybe I'll survive."

"You're going to be fine," I said.

"No, _you're_ going to be fine," Simon said. "You spend hours training and working out and building up your strength."

"Just because I'm strong doesn't mean I have any greater chance of surviving," I said. "My strength is no match for a sorcerer with a knockback spell."

"Yeah, but at least you can do hand-to-hand combat. I can barely bruise my fist with someone's face."

"You'll be fine. Besides, you have Liz. She can keep anyone from getting too close," I said.

"You've got a point," he said.

"I always do," I said. I pulled the car over to the curb and shut off the engine. "Wait here while I get her."

I made sure nobody was coming and I opened the door and stepped out. Passing by in front of the car, I stepped over the curb and walked into the building. The lobby was completely empty, so I just continued to the elevator and rode up. When I knocked on the door, Chloe answered and stepped out.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Yep," she said. She hoisted her bag over her shoulder and walked over to the elevator.

"You're late, by the way," she said.

"It snowed and the roads are crappy," I explained.

She looked over, concern evident. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," I answered. "A little slow going, but no crashes."

"Good," she said. "My dad is fine with me going to your place tomorrow."

"Mine is too," I said. "You'll be sleeping in one of the extra rooms."

"Ahh. I don't get your bed?" she asked, smiling.

"Sorry," I said. "I'm a little fond of it."

"Damn," she said. "And here I was hoping for the royal treatment."

"I'll make breakfast," I offered. "That royal enough?"

"Make it pancakes and we have deal," she said.

I smiled down at her and said, "I think I can manage."

"Good. Cause breakfast isn't complete without pancakes," she said.

We stepped out of the elevator and walked to the door. When we got outside, I saw that Simon had moved to the backseat so that Chloe could have the passenger seat. We got in and I pulled back onto the road.

"Hello, Ms. Saunders," Simon said. "Sleep well?"

"Why yes, Mr. Bae, I did," she said, turning around. "All until your brother woke me up."

"Derek!" Simon said. "How could you deprive Chloe of her sleep?"

I just rolled my eyes and concentrated on the road. We were at the school in ten minutes and I was finally able to relax a little. Simon and Tori said their goodbyes and went into the school while I walked in with Chloe. On our way in, Liz spotted us and Chloe stopped to wait for her, forcing me to stop, too.

"Hi," Liz said.

"Hi," Chloe said. "Where's Brady?"

"He had to make up a test for chemistry from when he was gone," Liz explained.

"Well, you're welcome to walk with us until the bell rings," Chloe invited her.

"Thanks," Liz said. "I'd walk with Rae, but she's hanging out with Amber."

I stopped in my tracks and said, "Amber Long?"

"Yeah," Liz said. "And I know. Amber bad."

"Do you think Rae is helping them?" Chloe asked, looking at me.

"I don't know. I don't know her well enough," I said. "Is she that kind of person?"

Chloe and Liz exchanged a look and Chloe said, "I think we can add one more person to the list of who we have to look out for."

"I'm sorry," I said, "I know she's your friend."

"She said something to me yesterday that makes me think she's been working with them for a while," Chloe said.

"What did she say?" I asked.

"It was when you walked me to history. She asked if I was dating you and then said to be careful about you. That there were things about your past that I didn't know about," Chloe said.

"Did she say what things?" I asked.

"No. When I asked her about them, she said it was nothing."

"I think you're right. She was trying to get you to question your loyalty," I said.

"Well, my loyalty remains intact," she said, smiling up at me.

"I'm really glad you moved here," Liz said to me.

"Why?" I asked, completely confused.

"Cause I think you two are perfect for each other," she said.

"Liz!" Chloe said, blushing.

I just shook my head and said, "We should probably start heading to class. I think the bells going to ring any minute."

"Good idea," Chloe said. "I still need to get to my locker."

"I'll go with you," Liz said. "My class is on the way."

"You okay with tomorrow?" I asked Liz as we walked down the hall.

"I think so," she said. "I practiced last night."

"Practiced how?" I asked.

"I used my powers to throw pillows at the posters on my wall," she explained.

"How's your aim?"

"Improving," she said.

"Good," I said. "Practice some more tonight and tomorrow before school."

"Will do," she said. "Well, this is my stop. See ya guys."

"Bye," Chloe said.

We kept walking until we got to her locker.

"Are you worried about tomorrow?" Chloe asked me.

"Simon asked me that same thing," I said.

"And what was your answer?" she asked.

"A little," I answered. "I think I'm more worried about everyone else than I am about myself."

"I understand," Chloe said. "I mean, I've known Liz and Maggie and Jake almost as long as I can remember and even though I haven't known Simon and Tori that long, I can't imagine losing them. And you…"

She trailed off and stopped packing her bag. I gently turned her head and she looked up. I could see a hint of tears in her eyes.

"Nothing is going to happen to me," I said softly. She nodded, but she didn't look convinced. I leaned down and gently placed my lips on hers. She instantly responded and I felt light pressure as she returned the kiss. When we broke apart, I kept my finger under her chin and repeated, "Nothing is going to happen to me."

"But-"

"Nothing," I said firmly. "And I'm going to be by your side the entire time. Nobody is getting near you but me."

She smiled weakly and said, "My knight in shining armor, huh?"

I grimaced and said, "Let's go with overprotective bodyguard. The other is too…romantic."

She laughed at that. "You don't like romantic?"

"I have no interest in being anyone's knight in shining armor," I said. "When I protect someone, I expect at least a little effort on their part."

"Gotcha," she said. "I will not just sit there while you kick everybody's asses."

"Good," I said. "You can at least keep lookout and tell me when someone gets close that needs their ass kicked."

"Deal," she said.

"Good, now let's get you to class," I said, shutting her locker door for her.

"You don't need your stuff?" she asked.

"I had homework for government last night so I already have what I need," I answered.

"Okay. So to history is it. How am I supposed to respond to Rae?" she asked.

"Just act normally," I responded. "You don't want her to think you suspect anything."

"Normal. Got it."

We walked in silence until we got to her classroom, at which point I waited until she found her seat and then I continued down the hall until I got to my own class. Jake and Simon were already seated and were in locked in conversation. They were leaning over my desk and had to move when I sat down.

"Chloe in her class?" Simon asked.

"Yeah," I said. "But we seem to have a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"We have someone else to watch out for," I said. "Rae."

"She's working with the other side?" Jake asked.

"We think so," I said.

"Just what we needed, huh?" Jake said. "Another enemy."

"It's another obstacle, but I think we can take them," I said.

"Well, at least one of us has confidence," Simon said.

Jake grinned and said, "Alright, Simon has failure, Derek has victory, and I have total annihilation. Winner buys the pizza."

"How are you supposed to buy the pizza if we're annihilated?" I asked.

"Exactly. However this plays out, I don't have to buy the pizza," he said.

"Glad we've got that established. However would we have survived without knowing that?" I asked sarcastically.

"Don't ask me," Jake said.

After that, the teacher arrived and started class. As I listened to his lecture, I couldn't help wondering which side he was on. When the end of class came and another mountain of homework, I started questioning the motive of the teachers. Many of my teachers had recently become stricter with their homework and started assigning more. Could they have an ulterior motive beyond learning the material? Could it be an attempt to keep the students distracted with schoolwork so they are unprepared when the fight occurs? In that case, I can eliminate at least three teachers as allies.

Math went by swiftly. Mr. Griggs wasn't assigning homework over the break, so we only had what was due tomorrow and I had already finished that. So, instead of math, I started on that mountain of government homework. I got a quarter of the way done by the time the bell rang, at which point I gathered up my stuff and headed to English.

Chloe was already in her seat when I walked in. She looked like she had been watching the door because she smiled when she saw me. I walked back and took my seat.

"How's your morning been?" she asked.

"Boring," I answered, "But I think I've figured something out."

"Something to do with tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I think I know why some teachers are bombarding us with homework," I said. "I think they're trying to keep us distracted so that we're unprepared tomorrow."

"When did you figure that out?"

"In government."

"How do you figure these things out? You're like some kind of genius."

"I am not a genius."

"Are to."

I opened my mouth to rebut what she said, but then decided against sounding like kindergartener, so instead I said, "How did it go with Rae?"

"She wasn't in class."

"I wonder if Amber or Royce are in their classes."

"Want me to ask Beth to check?"

"Excuse yourself during class and ask her then."

"Okay. What are you doing after school?"

"I'm clearing out a room for you. Why?"

"Oh. Well I was just wondering if you wanted to help me prepare for tomorrow."

"Prepare how?"

"Well, I can't really use my powers. So, I thought it would be helpful if I knew a thing or two about fighting. And you seemed like the best person to ask for tips."

"I seem like someone who gets into fights?"

"No, but I kinda figured that with you being a werewolf, you'd know something."

"I can maybe spare an hour or so," I said, "But I'm not an expert."

"I know that. But you still know more than me."

"I'll show you some stuff, but don't expect to be using it tomorrow. I'm not letting anyone get near you."

She opened her mouth to say something but shut it when she saw the look on my face. Nodding, she looked down at her stuff. I watched her face for any sign that I had said something wrong. Before I could see anything, Ms. Wallus walked in and started class. It was pretty much the same thing as yesterday: an hour long lecture. Chloe didn't even get the opportunity to excuse herself. She let us go five minutes late and Chloe was rushing to gather her stuff. I had a feeling it had something to do what food was left, but I didn't want to slow her down by asking. Instead, I watched her walk out with Maggie down the hall and I went the other direction.

I spent lunch doing homework in the library and then I headed to physics. Ms. Lowenberger was sitting at her desk when I walked in and nodded at me as I walked by. I found me seat and waited for class to begin. It didn't take long for everybody to file in and sit down. Five minutes after that, class started and everybody quieted down. Ms. Lowenberger's lecture barely registered as my mind wandered to tomorrow night. Not the dance, but what comes after. I was going to change for Chloe. I had never been seen as a wolf, except for that accidental sighting with Chloe. Simon always thought it was cool that I could change into a wolf. He even tried to get me to show him, but I always refused. I wasn't really comfortable with the fact that I was only half human and the other half was animal ruled by instinct. But now…something changed. I still wasn't comfortable about my other half, but knowing that it was Chloe that was going to see me and nobody else, I was becoming okay with the idea. The fact that she trusted me enough to be there while I was a wolf…. I was starting to wonder who exactly I was dating. Being a necromancer, I'm sure she knew about the burdens of being a supernatural: not being to tell anybody or else they'll think you're crazy, having to constantly live in secrecy and hide important parts of your life. I hadn't really had that many problems with hiding information from people because I had never really had anyone that I needed to hide it from. It's always been just me, Simon, Tori, and Dad. Simon and Tori had their friends and their share of dates and Dad had his coworkers, but I've never had anyone. And that's never mattered to me. Until now. Until Chloe.

I slight movement out of the corner of my eye brought me back to reality. I looked down and saw the pen on my left jerk slightly. I looked around the room to see if anybody was looking and I picked it up and wrote a small question mark on a piece of notebook paper. The pen lifted only an inch of the page and scribbled letters appeared on the page. I watched the room while Beth wrote and looked down when the pen stopped writing.

_You wanted something?_

I picked up the pen and wrote an answer: _Are Amber or Royce in their classes?_

_ Give me five minutes._

The pen dropped silently on the desk and I took that as a sign that she had left to go find them. After a few minutes, the pen picked back up and she wrote:_ Nowhere to be seen_

Staring at the words, I didn't like the theory forming in my head. Of course they were planning something. I just didn't expect them to take time out of school to work on their plan. The bell rang and I was forced to put those thoughts aside and focus on getting my stuff together and heading to French. I had no idea if Beth was following me or not, but I had a feeling she was. Chloe always got a little flustered in English and French and I was guessing it had something to do with unwanted comments from the unwanted presence of a certain ghost.

Chloe walked into the classroom as soon as my butt hit the seat, not looking particularly happy. When she got situated, I waited until she calmed down a little before I questioned her state.

"What happened?" I asked.

She took a deep breath and said, "Simon and I had to present our project in biology."

"And? You guys worked hard in it. I can't imagine you'll get a bad grade," I said.

"It's not the grade. It was the presentation. I was really nervous and I started stuttering and Simon had to do most of the talking," she said, sliding down in her seat. "I always stutter when I'm nervous."

"I noticed," I said. "It comes in handy."

"Handy for who?" she asked, looking over at me for the first time since entering the room. "All I get is embarrassment and more stuttering."

"It's handy for me. I can read certain kinds of obvious body language, like an angry look, but it's the in-between stuff that I have some difficulty with. When you stutter, I know when you're nervous or scared and I can fix it, or at least try and fix it," I explained.

"Well, unless you have a time machine, I think my embarrassment level remains intact," she said.

"Sorry no. But I think I know something that will help," I said.

"Help with social standing or help me feel better?"

"Neither," I answered. "But it will take your mind off your embarrassment."

"Okay, shoot," she said.

"Neither Amber nor Royce are in their classes. Their preparing for tomorrow."

"Beth?"

"Beth," I said. "She popped up in my physics class and I told her to check. She couldn't find them."

"Well, it certainly did take my mind off my embarrassment, but now I'm more worried about tomorrow."

"I didn't say it would make you feel better," I said.

"Thanks a bunch," she said sarcastically.

I smiled at her sarcasm and noted her attempt not to smile back. Lucky for her, she was saved when Ms. Wang walked in. Chloe turned to pay attention to what she was saying, but my attention remained on Chloe. I took in her appearance, which I hadn't noticed until now. She had her hair pulled back in a messy bun, with half the hair falling out and hanging down past her shoulders. I have to admit, I preferred it when she wore it down. She was wearing my sweatshirt again, though today it was the dark blue one. Her legs were covered by jeans which sported a small hole on her left knee. I smiled as I pictured how she got the hole in the first place. My inspection didn't leave me with a good feeling. I always knew that Chloe was small. She definitely wasn't fist-fight material. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, she was also delicate, even if she could manage to run through the woods in the middle of the night and fall in a river and still manage to survive. I wasn't looking forward to bringing her into this fight. She could take care of herself, sure, but she wasn't prepared to deal with what was coming. And I couldn't protect her from everything. Turning to the front of the room, I sat up straighter. One way or another, I was getting Chloe through this fight.

…,,,…

"Okay, I'll start off easy," I said, shucking my sweatshirt and tossing it onto the couch, which had been pushed aside for the duration of our practice. I stood in front of Chloe and said, "We'll work on your dodging. I'm going to throw some punches and I want you to dodge them. And don't worry, I'm not going to touch you."

"Okay," she said. She took a deep breath and nodded that she was ready. I got into stance and she copied me. I started with a test punch and she easily dodged. I threw a couple more and she dodged every one, so I sped things up. She had a little more difficultly with the faster ones and missed the last one completely. My fist stopped half an inch from her face and the air blew some of her hair back. The expression on her face was priceless. After realizing that my fist wasn't going to hit her, she shuddered her relief and looked me in the eyes.

"I told you I wasn't going to touch you," I said.

"You have really good control," she said, a little breathless.

"I practice," I answered. "Alright, moving on. I want you to hit me and I'm going to block."

"But what if-"

"You're not going to hurt me," I reassured her.

She seemed a little nervous and her punches showed it. She got more confident with every punch I blocked and eventually started to give it her all. I easily blocked every one of her punches, but I practiced with Simon as much as he was willing and was more experienced in blocking, in people with normal strength anyway. Her last punch missed completely, though, and her feet slid out from underneath her and she flew backward. I reached forward to grab her, but I overstepped myself and we both ended up on the floor, with my elbows holding my torso off of her. My…lower regions, however, were pressed against hers. My elbows were only holding me up enough to keep me from crushing her and my face was close enough to hers that I could smell the peanut butter from her sandwich on her breath. Her eyes flickered from my eyes to my lips and it only took her a second to claim what she wanted. Her lips found mine and there was none of the gentleness of our earlier kiss. Her arms came around my neck and she pulled herself closer. I managed to get my arms around her and pulled her as close as I could without crushing her. After we ran out of breath, we broke apart only long enough to take a breath and my lips were back on hers. Our tongues were at war for dominance and a small moan escaped her lips. Her hands clung to the back of my shirt and she hung on as we both became lightheaded. I supported us both as much as I could with us being on the floor.

The sound of a door opening caused us both to freeze. Our eyes flew open and we turned to the direction of the noise.

"Was that the front door?" I whispered.

Her eyes widened and she said, "My dad!"

I pushed off her and we scrambled up, trying to straighten our clothes before he came into the room. When he did, he stopped in his tracks and looked from one of us to the other.

"Chloe?" he asked.

"Hi, Dad," she said. "This is Derek…my boyfriend."

His eyebrows rose as he took me in. He looked me up and down and I became a little self-conscious.

"Derek's been helping me with my math," she said.

"Then where's your math stuff?" he asked.

"We just finished," she lied.

"And the couch?"

"We were feeling cramped," she lied again.

He turned back to me and asked, "How old are you?"

"Seventeen," I answered.

"So you're a…"

"A junior," I said.

He nodded and studied me. He looked at Chloe and asked, "How long have you two been dating?"

"About a week," she said.

He nodded again and turned back to me. He seemed to consider his words and said, "I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow then? To pick up Chloe for the dance?"

"Yes, sir," I said, hoping I didn't sound sarcastic.

His eyebrows rose as my response and he smiled. "Sir. You don't hear much of that anymore. Well Chloe, I'll be in the kitchen preparing dinner. Derek, I'll see you tomorrow."

We both nodded and watched him walk out. We both looked at each other and she laughed nervously. "Well, that went better than I expected."

"Then why do I feel like I molested you on your living room floor?" I asked, looking toward the door that her dad had walked through. Her face went red and she looked down. "I think I should go."

She nodded and I grabbed my sweatshirt off the couch, pulling it over my head. She walked me to the front door and lightly kissed me goodbye. I walked out and toward the elevator. While I was waiting, I looked over at her door and thought about what had just happened. Chloe being my first girlfriend, that was my first awkward experience meeting my girlfriend's dad. Hopefully things went good enough between Chloe and I that I wouldn't have to relive that experience again. When the elevator finally arrived, I stepped in and pressed for the lobby. As I rode down, I couldn't help feeling grateful that at least he didn't hate me.

**Finally done with this chapter. Like I said, two more. Three max. I'm not sure if I want the next chapter to be entirely Chloe's POV, or if I want to do a few people's. It all depends on where I end it. **


	23. You Ready?

**Almost done. Just one more actual chapter and then the epilogue. I'm not very good with action scenes, so the battle may not be as long as I probably could make it. **

**The answer to the last riddle was a fence. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**This chapter's riddle is dedicated to Mi-chan1991**

_There is a green house. Inside of it there is a white house. Inside the white house there is a red house. Inside the red house there are lots of babies. What is it?_

**Chloe's POV**

_Tick. Tick. Tick. _Flipping my pillow over my head, I tried to drown out my clock as it mocked me for my inability to fall asleep. Even with the pillow, I could hear it. _Tick. Tick. Tick. _Groaning, I lifted the pillow and looked over. 5:32. I knew exactly why I couldn't fall asleep and yet knowing didn't help. Especially when knowing meant knowing that in fourteen hours, I could die. Or my friends could die. Or everyone could die. I had already tried sleeping pills and warm milk and everything else I could think of to fall asleep, but nothing had worked. I looked over at my nightstand again and decided to try one last thing.

Picking up my phone, I found Derek's number and hit call. I expected a grumpy werewolf wondering why the hell I was calling him at 5:30 in the morning. Instead, the phone only rang once and what sounded like a very awake Derek answered the phone.

"What are you doing awake?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said. I heard shuffling on his side and then the noise stopped.

"I can't fall asleep," I complained.

"Makes sense," he said.

"Why are you up?" I asked.

"Pretty much the same," he said. The shuffling continued and then there was a small bang.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Cleaning out a room for you," he answered.

"At 5:30 in the morning?" I asked. "I thought you said you were going to do that last night."

"Well a certain necromancer needed fighting help," he teased. "Dad took care of most of it. I just have to clear out a few more boxes and add some blankets to the bed."

"You sure I can't just use your bed?" I asked. "It would save you a lot of work."

"You and I have two different definitions of a lot of work," he said. "And no. I for one don't want the unending teasing of moron one and moron two and I really doubt you do."

Sighing, I said, "I guess you're right."

"Always am," he answered. "So, did you need anything?"

"No," I said. "Well, kinda. I was hoping you could help me fall asleep."

"Help you how?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said. "It was just a last ditch attempt."

"Well, I doubt you're going to fall asleep now and there's not really a point to it, so how about just talking?" he suggested.

"I can do that," I said. "What do you want to talk about?"

"You called me. You pick," he answered.

"Okay. Um…what's your favorite color?" I asked.

There was a pause. "You're serious?"

"You told me to pick something," I accused.

"Fine. Blue," he answered. "And I'm picking a topic this time."

I laughed and said, "Works for me."

I waited for him to say something and when he didn't, I asked, "You still there?"

"I'm thinking."

"Well think faster."

"Fine. Uh, you looking forward to tonight?" he asked.

"You mean the fight where we could all die?" I asked, keeping my tone light.

"After," he said.

"After?" I asked. "What comes after?"

"Me changing," he said.

"Oh," I said. I bit my lip."Well, to be honest, I'm a little nervous."

He hesitated and then said, "Are you afraid?"

I instantly regretted what I said when I heard the slight pain in his voice. "No! Oh, Derek, I didn't mean it like that. I'm not afraid of you. I know you won't hurt me, even as a wolf. I'm more nervous of what _I'll _do. I mean, last time I saw you as a wolf, I almost drowned."

"I won't let anything happen to you," he promised.

"I know," I said, smiling into the phone. "I trust you."

"Hold on," he said. I heard him set down the phone. After waiting a minute he picked it back up and asked, "What time is it?"

"About six," I answered. "Why?"

"My alarm is about to go off," he explained.

"You get up at six?"

"Yes, lazy, I get up at six," he answered.

"I am not lazy," I argued. "I'm just enjoying my beauty sleep."

"Well, you don't need it," he said.

I froze. _What did he mean by that?_ "What do you mean?"

"Huh?"

"You said I don't need it," I said. "What did you mean by that?"

"I meant that you don't need beauty sleep," he said.

"Do you…do you think I'm pretty?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer. It's not like I'm the creature from the black lagoon, but my looks aren't usually something people compliment me on.

"Am I not allowed to?" he asked.

A stupid grin spread across my face as I did a little victory dance in the bed. _He thinks I'm pretty. _I was already dating him, so it really shouldn't matter, but I couldn't help myself. The dance ended abruptly, though, as I got tangled in my sheet and tripped out of the bed, again. As I went down, the phone flew from my hands and hit the wall on the other side of my room. Scrambling up, I crawled over to it and prayed it still worked. When I held it up to my ear I heard Derek and I sighed in relief.

"Chloe? Are you okay?" he asked, concern laced through his words.

"Sorry, I fell out of bed," I explained.

"Again?" he asked. I could hear his grin. "Do we need to get you some railings for your bed?"

"Shut up," I said, smiling. "It was your fault."

"What did I do?" he asked.

"You told me I was pretty and I did a victory dance and I got tangled in the sheets," I explained. When I thought back to what I said, a blush covered my cheeks.

I bit my lip, waiting for his answer. "Victory dance? Do I get to see it?"

I laughed. I wasn't expecting that answer. "Only if you're good."

"How good?" he asked.

"Breakfast good," I said.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Surprise me."

"I can do that," he said. A buzzing went off on his side of the phone and then stopped. "I'll be there in an hour, okay?"

"I'll be waiting," I said.

"Talk to you then," he said. "Bye."

"Bye," I said, hanging up.

"You guys are so cute," Beth said, causing me to yelp and jump back, hitting the corner of my desk and sending my stuff down onto my head. I rubbed my now sore head and glared at her. A knock at my door interrupted that glare as Dad's voice on the other side said, "Chloe? You okay in there?"

"I'm fine," I said. "I just tripped."

"Okay," he said. I waited until his door shut and I looked at Beth.

"Do you always have to scare me?" I asked, pulling myself back up. "People are going to think I'm crazy."

"They already think you're crazy," she said, getting comfortable on my bed.

"What are you doing here so early?" I asked.

"Round the clock protection," she said. She looked down at her hands and started picking at her nail. "What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep," I explained.

"Good," she said, jumping up and going to the closet. "In that case, we have time to go over what you're wearing tonight."

…,,,…

Fifty different outfit possibilities and three bruises later, Beth was satisfied in my outfit and finally let me get ready for school, with ten minutes before Derek got here. I had to rush to get dressed and was out my bedroom door just as there was a knock on the door.

"Bye Dad," I said, rushing past him before he could answer the door.

I didn't stop to see his expression. When I got to the door, I pulled it open, rushed out and shut it after me. Derek looked at me like I had grown a third and then settled for rolling his eyes as he grabbed my bag for me.

"What's the rush?" he asked.

"Beth was trying to decide what I'm wearing to the dance tonight and I only had ten minutes to get ready. I guess I hadn't stopped rushing yet," I explained.

"_Beth _was deciding what _you're _wearing to the dance?" he questioned.

"Yes. She is like the fashion police. Except instead of tickets, I get lectures until I get annoyed enough to change."

"Sounds harsh."

"I think I'd prefer prison. At least I wouldn't get hounded to wear something besides orange jumpsuits."

He looked me up and down and said, "I don't think orange jumpsuits would suit you."

"I thought you said I was pretty?" I asked, my hands on my hips.

"You are pretty," he said, "Except when you dress like a cheerleader…or wear orange jumpsuits."

"So nice clothes make me look bad?" I asked.

He groaned and said, "Can we just drop this?"

"You brought it up," I said.

"How did I bring it up?"

"You said orange jumpsuits don't suit me."

"Orange jumpsuits don't suit anybody. And I think you look best in jeans and my sweatshirt, okay?"

"Does that mean I can have more of your clothes?" I asked.

"Why the hell would you want my clothes?" he asked.

"Because your green sweatshirt looks really soft and warm," I explained.

"Fine. I will let you wear my green sweatshirt. But you can't keep it. I like that sweatshirt."

"Okay. But you didn't specify how _long_ I could wear it. So I think every day until it's ragged."

He rolled his eyes again and held out the door for me. When I stepped outside, I noticed that is was fairly warm out…for December. I opened the car door and got in. Before I could say anything, Simon reached forward and handed me a bag.

"Breakfast for milady," he said.

"Thank you sir," I said, opening it to find a breakfast sandwich and a donut.

"The coffee's yours, too," Derek said, pointing to the cup on the nearest cup holder.

I took a sip. "Mmm."

"I did well?" he questioned, smiling.

"Definitely," I said.

"So do I get to see your victory dance then?" he asked, smiling slyly.

"Tonight work for you?" I asked.

"Tonight's great," he said, pulling into the school parking lot. "Don't forget."

Once he killed the engine, we all got out and he locked the doors.

"Welcome to hell," Simon said.

"Drama queen," Tori said. "You probably just jinxed us."

"You probably just jinxed us by saying I jinxed us."

"The elementary school is that way," Derek said, pointing right.

I laughed and followed behind him with the bickering siblings following behind us. I was still smiling when we entered the school up until we got to my locker, where Jake was standing and looking very serious.

"What is it?" Derek asked.

"Liam and Ramon are here today," he explained.

"Where at?" Derek asked.

"I saw them loitering in the gym," he said. "Royce and Amber were with them. Along with Rae."

"I was hoping they were going to miss it," Derek said. Sighing, he said, "I guess that's something we'll have to deal with."

"Enjoy your last day alive," Simon said, walking off down the hall towards his class.

"Anybody else just want to slap him?" Tori asked, following him.

"I'll see you in gov," Jake said to Derek before taking off, leaving just the two of us.

"I'm with Tori. Somebody _really_ needs to slap him," I said "I was nervous enough. Now I'm borderline panicked."

"I'll get him in government," Derek said.

"Go right ahead. But that won't stop me from getting him in biology," I said.

"And Tori, too," Derek said.

I smiled at the mental picture._ Poor Simon._ Hearing laughter down the hallway, I looked from my locker to the source. Standing at the end of the hall was Liam and his gang harassing a freshman at their locker. They were playing keep away with the boy's book. I felt sorry for him but I knew better than to step in to stop it.

Derek saw my face and said, "Don't worry. Maybe his karma is really bad and he'll get hit by a flying brick or something tonight."

"That's a good thought," I said, not tearing my eyes from the poor boy. The bell rang loud and clear and I finished getting my stuff. Derek closed my locker for me and escorted me to my classroom, where a certain "friend" was waiting for me. I could see her sitting at her desk when we got there and Derek gave my hand a brief squeeze before hurrying to his own class. Taking a deep breath, I gripped by bag strap tighter and walked in. Rae's head went up when I did and I swear I almost saw remorse in her eyes before she replaced it with her normal smile.

"You wouldn't believe who I saw at the mall last night," she said as I sat down.

"Who?" I asked, trying to act normal so she wouldn't be suspicious.

"Melissa Barnes," she said. "She was in Victoria Secrets standing in front of a lingerie display. As if she could pull it off."

"I thought she slimmed way down over the summer," I said.

"She gained it right back. Twinkies were always her weakness," Rae said.

I listened to her rant until the teacher came in and started class. It was normal. I had a hard time believing that I would be fighting against Rae tonight, but then my mind went back to her comment about Derek and the reality came crashing back. She didn't make any more comments, though. She didn't even mention him. I wondered if her look earlier meant anything. _Did she feel guilty?_

Math passed without event. Lecture, homework, the works. I was happy when it was over, though, so that I could get to English and talk to Derek about Rae. It wasn't like I had much to tell, but I needed to tell him about the guilty look. It probably didn't mean anything, but I still needed to tell him.

He wasn't in his seat when I walked in, but I didn't mind. He was always in his seat by the time the bell rang. And sure enough, a minute before, he walked in an instantly met my eyes, offering a small smile. He nodded at Maggie when he passed her and then he sat down.

"I talked to Rae," I said.

"And?"

"It was…normal. Except when I walked into the room, she had this look on her face. It was only instantaneous, but I know I saw it. She looked guilty."

"She might feel guilty, but it doesn't change anything," he said, looking me in the eyes. "If you have to make a choice between your life and hers, choose yours. I know that's not what kind of person you are, but you have to do it. Because if you choose her life, she won't hesitate to take yours."

"I know," I said, looking down. My hair fell around my face and created a curtain. "So I can't save her?"

"I'm sorry," he said. "I know it doesn't seem fair, but it's just the reality of it. If she puts your life in danger, I won't hesitate to stop her. Even if that means death."

"Your death or hers?" I asked, looking up. When he didn't answer, I said, "Promise me something. Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll fight for your life. Because I don't want to wake up tomorrow and mourn you."

"I'll fight," he said. "I promise."

We locked eyes and held each other's gazes before Ms. Wallus came in and immediately started class. She collected our projects and then the people who did powerpoints had to present them, which was the majority of the class. I almost fell asleep a few times, but Derek woke me up before I snored.

Derek and I parted ways after class and I followed Maggie to lunch. Rae wasn't sitting at the table, which didn't surprise me. What did surprise me, though, was that Austin wassitting there. He looked a little out of place and was picking at his food. When he saw us walking towards the table, I noticed he relaxed a little.

"Hey, Austin," I said, sitting down across from him.

"Hi," he said timidly.

"Welcome to the cafeteria," Maggie said. "I don't think I've ever seen you in here before."

"I don't usually eat lunch here," he said. "But Royce didn't want me to hang out with him."

"I'm guessing big brother knows too much," Jake said, sitting down next to me.

"Don't they always?" Simon asked, sitting down next to Maggie. "Especially when you don't want them to know that it was you that spilled grape juice all over their favorite green sweatshirt."

"You did what!" I said, looking over at him.

"It was an accident," he claimed.

"Derek didn't say anything about it this morning," I said.

Simon's eyes widened and he grinned, "He doesn't know yet? Yes!"

"But now his girlfriend knows and she doesn't look too happy," Jake said before taking a big bite out of his burger.

Simon looked over at me and I could tell he instantly regretted saying anything. Clearing him throat, he grabbed his milk and down the whole thing. He kept glancing up at me as he ate, afraid of what I would tell Derek. I let him suffer, too, for what he had said this morning. _Now it's his turn to be panicked._

When lunch was over, I walked with Tori and Simon to biology, the latter of which was still a little worried of what I was going to tell Derek. Mr. Drake didn't say anything when we walked in. He was too focused on what was on his desk. Upon further examination, I discovered it was the projects. Simon and I exchanged a look and we went to our seats.

The class went by fast. We finished up the remaining projects, which took until the end of the hour. When it was over, I happily walked the halls to French where Derek was waiting. Seeing him sitting at his desk, I remembered his sweatshirt. _I'll let him find out on his own. It's probably better if he doesn't blow his top in class._

"Hi," I said.

"How was biology?"

"Okay. More projects. How was physics?"

"Boring. I really wanted to punch the guy next to me, though."

"Do I want to know?"

"He was making lewd comments about the girls in the class."

"You should have punched him," I said.

He looked over at me and shook him head, smiling. "Does your dad know that you have to stay late today?"

I looked at him, confused. "Why do I have to stay late today?"

"The dance? We're in charge of decorating," he said. "Remember?"

"Oops. I guess it's been so long since we've had the committee that I forgot," I said.

"Don't worry. I forgot, too. Amber, though, was _kind _enough to jog my memory," he said, rolling his eyes.

"That was _so _thoughtful," I said. "Maybe we should send her a gift basket."

"Or a clue," he said.

I laughed. "Something tells me she would need the entire case file."

"I just hope she doesn't show up after school," he said. "I don't want to deal with her."

"Same here. There's just something about her that makes me want to push her in front of a bus," I said, resting my chin in my hand and looking off into space. "I just don't know where it comes from."

The rest of the hour was spent listening to Ms. Wang discuss our new vocabulary list, which meant I had to pay attention or I would never understand it. Paying attention was hard, though, when the clock was ticking down on how much time I might have left to live. Derek seemed to be doing okay with the paying attention, however. Apparently even food in French was worthy of his undying attention.

Liz was waiting for me when Derek dropped me off at theatre. She smiled her familiar smile and I followed her into the room. Jake even offered me a smile, which I knew was hard considering that we were thinking the same thing.

"Almost time," Jake said.

"Part of me just wants time to stop so that I never have to face it and another part of me just wants it over," I said. "But then I think of what I might be facing if it was over and then I go back to wanting time to stop."

"I think it would equally suck if time stopped," Jake said. "We'd be stuck in high school forever."

"Good point," I said. "Now I'm back in to the middle."

"Poor Chloe," Liz said. "Want some chocolate? That always helps me."

I smiled at Liz's random innocence and nodded. She reached into her bag and pulled out a Hershey bar. Dividing it into three pieces, she passed it around and I sank my teeth into it, savoring the taste. Nothing can't be solved by chocolate…except for Liz's sugar high, which is exactly how the entire hour was spent: trying to get Liz back down.

When it was done, I made my way to the gym and saw that it was full of people. Apparently _they _didn't forget about the committee. Derek hadn't arrived yet, so I found our stuff and started to decorate. I wasn't strong enough and I didn't have long enough arm span to hang the banner, so I started taping snowflakes randomly on the walls. I started running out of snowflakes about ten minutes later and just as I was hanging the last on, I felt a warm hand on my waist. I didn't need eyes in the back of my head to tell me who it was, so I pressed the last strip of tape down and turned around to meet the chest of one Derek Souza.

"You're late," I accused, poking him lightly in the chest. He didn't even flinch.

"I had trouble getting to my locker," he explained. "Everybody was in a rush to empty their own lockers for break."

"I didn't have any trouble at all," I said, lifting me chin and walking toward the banner.

"That's because you haven't _been _to your locker yet," he pointed out.

"That's beside the point," I said, throwing him a smile.

I lifted one of the sides of the banner and gestured for him to do the same on his side. Together we carried it over to the far side of the gym and got it on the wall without a single tear. When it was up, I stepped back and surveyed our hard work.

"That it?" Derek asked.

"I think so," I said. "That's all we have to decorate."

"Good, then let's go," he said. He grabbed his bag and swung it over his shoulder. I followed suit and picked up my theatre stuff. Hopefully the halls weren't as busy as they were when Derek was out there.

Walking out into the halls, I groaned. They were packed, even a half hour after the bell rang. A lot of people were still cleaning out their lockers, making sure that they had everything they needed over break. The rest of the people were chatting with their friends in the middle of the hall and leaning against lockers, getting in everybody else's way. And like everybody else, my locker was surrounded by people. I tried clearing my throat a few times and saying excuse me, but they didn't even notice I was there. Derek, however, was noticed when he just walked on through and forced everybody else to either get out the way by themselves or get pushed away. Smiling my thanks, I quickly unlocked my locker, loaded my bag, and shut the door.

Tori and Simon were waiting by the door when we got there. They even looked like they were being civil. When Derek opened the door and stepped outside, we followed behind him to the car and quickly got in before we all started shivering. Checking his mirrors, Derek backed out of the space and was soon on his way to my apartment, which only took ten minutes to get to. I waited until he got to a complete stop before opening my door and getting out.

"I'll pick you up at seven, okay?" Derek asked, leaning over to see me through the door.

"I'll be here," I said. I stepped back and watched him pull out and drive off before turning around and heading inside where it was warm.

The elevator ride up was quiet and when I stepped out in front of my door, I took a deep breath before turning the knob and pushing in. I could hear the TV in the living room. When I walked past, I saw the back of Dad's head as he watched the news. He turned around upon hearing me and said, "How was school?"

"School-like," I answered.

"Learn anything?"

"Nope."

"Sounds like school to me," he said, smiling.

I returned the smile and turned to walk to my room. Before I could take a step, he said, "I was thinking. We haven't really spent a day together in a while and with Christmas next week, I was thinking we could go to New York City for the day. Maybe Sunday. Maybe go Christmas shopping."

My thoughts instantly turned to tonight and the fact that I may not even be around on Sunday. I could feel the tears start and I said, "Sure. That sounds like fun."

"Great," he said.

"I think I'm going to take a nap before the dance," I said, hoisting my bag back over my shoulder.

"That sounds like a good idea. I could hear tossing and turning last night. I can't imagine you got much sleep," he said, looking a little worried.

I just nodded and walked down the hall and into my room, shutting the door behind me. Leaning against it, I shut my eyes and took a shuddering breath. When I finally opened them again, I looked around my room before settling on my bed. Practically running to it, I got under the covers, and pulled them over my head, something I hadn't done since Mom died. I wasn't scared for tonight. I was petrified. I was afraid of dying. I was afraid of what I would leave behind, more importantly,_ who _I would leave behind. When Mom died, Dad pulled away from everyone. Aunt Lauren tried to appear strong for me, but even at six, I could tell that she was just as broken hearted as Dad and me. _If I die tonight, will I leave such an impact?_ I tried to clear my head of such thoughts, but they kept coming. Eventually I fell into a fitful sleep.

,,,…,,,

"Think we should poke her?" a distant voice said.

"We could push her out of bed," a second voice joined the first.

"That seems a little drastic," the first voice said. "Chloe? Chloe wake up."

"Mmm," I groaned and buried my head farther into the pillow.

I felt something touch my shoulder and the first voice said, "Chloe? It's time to get ready. The guys are going to be here soon."

Blinking, I looked up and rubbed my eyes. When they had adjusted, I saw the Maggie and Liz were standing next to my bed. I looked over at the clock and my eyes went wide.

"I overslept," I said, shooting out of bed.

"It's okay," Maggie said. "We got a head start but we thought it would be best if you started to get ready."

"Thanks for waking me," I said.

"No problem," she said.

I quickly grabbed my clothes and changed while Liz and Maggie did the same. When we were done, I let Liz fix my hair. I wouldn't have allowed it normally, but I knew that she wouldn't overdo it and it was probably best if my hair was up and out of my way. Liz also did Maggie's hair and also managed to do her own. When we were finally done, I heard a knock on the door and we glanced at the clock.

"That's Brady," Liz said. "He's picking me up a little early."

"See you there," I said.

"Happy hunting," she said, giving us a smile and leaving.

"We still have ten minutes before the guys get here," Maggie said. "Should we eat something?"

"I'm too nervous to eat. I'd probably just vomit," I answered.

"Thanks for the mental image," she said, smiling.

"You ready?" I asked.

"Well, I'm not actually fighting, so I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be," she said. "I just hope I can heal everybody."

"Don't worry," I said. "You'll do great. And I doubt I'll see much action, either. Derek seems pretty determined to keep me out of it."

"He sounds like a keeper," she said.

"Well, I like him. And I have no intention of breaking up with him," I said. "How about you and Simon?"

"I'm not sure yet. He's cute and nice. But I haven't really talked to him all that much outside of art. I guess I'll just have to wait and see," she said.

Another knock interrupted our conversation and we exchanged a look of equal nervousness before leaving my room and heading to the door. I made sure to grab my overnight bag before shutting my door. I was surprised to see that Dad wasn't at the door interrogating Derek. Sending I mental goodbye to him, I opened the door to reveal Derek standing on the other side, as promised.

"Well, Mr. Souza. You clean up nicely," I said, smiling. His clothes were simple but nice. He was wearing dark jeans and a deep blue shirt, which I could see peeking out underneath his unzipped coat.

"Same on this end. I'm surprised though. I was expecting a coating of paint," he said, returning my smile.

My cheeks burned red and Maggie gave me a confused look. I ignored her look and gave Derek a mini glare, before walking out and pulling the door behind me.

"Simon's waiting in the car," Derek said to Maggie.

"Okay," she said, following behind us to the elevator.

We stepped inside and Derek pressed the button, closing the doors and sending us down. When he got outside, I was surprised that the temperature seemed to have risen a little compared to the usual, which was strange considering there weren't any clouds to hold in the heat.

"This feels a little too much like positive foreshadowing," I said.

"What does?" Derek asked.

"The weather. It's nice out…for December. It seems too positive. Like it's foreshadowing a good outcome but it's a little too much considering what we're in for. Like it seems good, but it's also somehow foreshadows unexpected failure."

"You watch too many movies. The weather is the weather. The only foreshadowing is the fact that Simon forgot his coat and is somehow probably going to get locked outside in the cold," Derek said, holding the car door open for me.

"I will not," Simon argued, getting out of the backseat and letting Maggie get in the middle between him and Tori, who didn't look too pleased with the fact that she was stuck in the crowded backseat.

"You say that now," Tori said. From the look on her face, I had a feeling I knew how, or _who_, would be the reason he got locked out…if he did in fact get locked out.

I slid in the seat and allowed Derek to close the door behind me. I squeezed by bag by my feet while Derek walked around the front of the car to his own side, where he opened the door and got settled before starting the engine and taking off toward the school.

"I hope there's good music," Simon said. "I want to actually have fun before anything happens."

"Well, Jakes band is pretty good, so I think the music should be good, too," Maggie said. "Which is a good thing because I want to dance."

"As long as you two stay close to the band," Derek said. "You need to be close to Jake when it all starts."

"I'll talk to Liz when we get there," Simon said. "Tell her to stay by me."

"And I'll find Austin," Tori said. "Maybe I can talk him into a few dances seeing how my date is in the band."

"Good," Derek said. "The band is the in the right corner of the room on the other side of the doors. Simon, you and Maggie dance in the middle of the middle on that side of the room with Liz by you guys. We'll each take a corner of the gym. When it starts, Maggie, you and Jake take the corner by the band and Simon, you and Liz take the opposite corner on that side. Tori, you and Austin take the right corner by the door and Chloe and I will take the last one."

"How did you think of all this?" Simon asked.

"I need something to do in physics," he answered. "It was either that or throw the guy sitting next to me out the window. I didn't think Dad would approve of the second one."

"What about the school?" I asked.

"Why would I care what the school thinks? I don't have to like there," he said, which resulted in Simon's laughter and me rolling my eyes.

Derek pulled into the almost full parking lot and found a spot on the far end. Tori left first, wanting to talk to Jake before the band started playing. Simon and Maggie went next. They needed to find Liz before everybody started dancing. Which left me and Derek. We both got out, but we stopped when we got to the front of the car.

"Remember," he said. "Stay back."

"And you remember," I said. "That if anything happens, I have your back. I won't hesitate."

"I know. I'll try and make sure you don't have to have my back," he promised.

Not knowing what else to say, I leaned up and he got the message. I felt his arms wrap securely around me and then his lips were on mine. It wasn't hesitant or urgent. It was a promise.

,,,…,,,

"Shouldn't something have happened by now?" I asked Derek. We were sitting at a table in the corner watching everybody on the dance floor. Well, I was watching the dancing. Derek was watching the teachers and for any signs of trouble.

"It's only eight," he said. "We probably won't see anything until at least nine."

"Why are they making us wait so long?" I asked. "I'm getting nervous."

"That's probably the point," he said. "You get nervous waiting and then you're in no shape to fight because you're racked with nerves. And they're lulling the rest of the school into a sense of security so that they won't suspect anything."

"They're evil," I said. I scanned the dance floor again and noticed two people missing. I quickly found Maggie talking to Jake while the band took a break but Simon was nowhere in sight. "Where's Simon?"

"Huh?" Derek asked, turning his attention to the students. He looked around and frowned. "Wasn't he just there?"

"I thought so, but he's gone," I said.

"I'm going to go ask Maggie," he said. "I'll be right back."

As soon as he stood up and took a step forward, he flew back and collided with the wall.

"Derek!" I said, jumping from my seat and rushing over. He groaned and got up, rubbing the back of his head but luckily finding no blood.

The entire gym was dead silent, until a guy from my theatre class also flew from his feet followed by his date and countless others. Fire shot from somewhere above and a table erupted in flames.

"I think that's the signal," I said.

"Stay behind me," he said. He looked around. "Where is it coming from?"

A growl answered him and his head snapped to his left, where Liam was charging full force directly at Derek. I gasped and shrank back into the wall so that I was out of Derek's way. Derek ducked out of the way just as Liam was about to collide with him, but Liam quickly snapped back and lunged again, this time hitting Derek full in the chest. They both went down, hitting the table and snapping its legs. Derek elbowed him in the nose and threw Liam off him. Both were on their feet quickly and back in the fight.

I had to tear my eyes away from the bloody mess and scanned around me at everybody else. Once Liam had leapt from his hiding place, the others soon followed. I could see Tori shooting energy balls and knockback spells at people while narrowly missing getting hit with one herself. Austin was fighting hand-in-hand with some junior that I didn't know and it looked like he was losing until the guy was pulled back by Beth and thrown into the wall. Another student quickly took his place and continued the fight. I turned my head and saw Liz fighting with Rae and Ramon. She was having a hard time keeping Ramon back and dodging Rae's fire. _Where is Simon?_ Jake and Maggie randomly popped up in various spots and collected any injured. I didn't see many bad injuries, but there were some that looked really serious.

I looked back at Derek and grimaced when I saw the amount of blood pouring from both his nose and Liam's. I knew I should do something but when I looked around for a weapon, I came up empty. From the corner of my eye, I saw something. I quickly grabbed one of the legs from the table and started creeping up on Liam. _Almost there._ I froze when I heard something behind me. Before I could get my head turned the entire way, something hit me square in the head and everything went black.

**Yup. I cliffhanger. I was going to write in other people's POVs also for the fight, but I thought that you guys deserved this as soon as I could and this chapter was hard enough to write as it is. Sorry that the action scene was so short. Action scenes aren't my forte. **


	24. Someday

**I must have really overestimated the amount of reviews I would get for the last chapter. Wow. Anyway, some of you may be disappointed with the beginning of this chapter only because of when it starts. This is the last chapter, not counting the epilogue. After this, I will post the epilogue when it's done and then the nonchapter which you guys can pick which story you want to read. I really only want to do one story so that I'm not pressed for time, but two of them really sound good to me. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**The answer to the last riddle was a watermelon.**

_When is it bad luck to have a black cat following you?_

**Chloe's POV**

"Is she going to be okay?" a distant, but familiar voice sounded.

"It looks worse than it actually is," a more familiar voice answered.

_Is who going to be okay? Who got injured? Ugh…why does my head hurt? And why is it so dark. _I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids were too heavy and I slipped back into unconsciousness.

…,,,…

"How long is she going to be out?" a new voice broke through the abyss.

"It's hard to say," the really familiar voice answered. "Head wounds can be tricky."

"I thought you said it looked worse than it was," the first voice said from what sounded like right next to me.

"It did. But that doesn't mean it's not serious. I won't know the extent of the damage until she wakes up," the familiar voice said before I starting drifting out again. _No! Wake up!_

…,,,…

_Why can't I move my arms? _I tried to move whatever was pinning me down, but my body wasn't cooperating and I wasn't sure if it was only in my head. Knowing I didn't have long before I was out again, I focused on moving and managed to at least shift what was on top of me…I think. I felt drained after even that little bit of movement and I couldn't get the energy to try again. After a second, I felt the something on top of me being pulled away and I was free. _Now if only I could open my eyes. _

"You awake in there?" a deep voice said next to me.

I think I managed to groan because the voice said, "Don't push yourself too much. Just take it a little at a time."

A warm hand closed around mine and the voice said, "If you can hear me, try to squeeze."

I concentrated on my hand and I squeezed as hard as I could manage, which was barely anything.

"Good," the voice said. "Can you open your eyes?"

My eyelids flickered and I opened them a little. I was met with a blinding light and I instantly squeezed them shut. I heard something shift next to me and then the light was gone. I tried again and this time it was dark and I could keep my eyes open for a little while longer. I looked over to where the voice was coming from and smiled at the werewolf sitting in a chair.

"Hi," I said weakly.

"Hi," he answered, a tired smile spreading over his face.

"How long have I been out?" I asked.

"A few hours," he said.

"What time is it?"

"Four o'clock," he said.

"AM or PM?" I asked.

"AM," he said. "It's Saturday."

"Why are you awake," I asked.

"It's hard to sleep with so much going on…and somebody is using my bed," he answered.

I took in my surroundings for the first time and realized that I was Derek's room. The thing that I had been holding my arms down was his blanket, which had been pulled down to my waist so that I could move. I also noticed that we were completely alone.

"Guess that I got your bed anyway," I said, smiling at him.

He let out a small laugh and smiled back, "Guess it's better than having any of the other injured bleeding on my bed."

My smile disappeared and I said, "How many people were hurt?"

"More than we would have liked," he said. "The house is packed with people. Your aunt is looking over them."

"What about Simon? I asked. "He was missing."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Besides a little frostbite, Simon's completely fine. A little pissed, granted, but fine."

"Frostbite?" I asked.

"He spent the majority of the dance locked outside," Derek explained. "Apparently Tori doesn't appreciate the value of a good joke and when Simon slipped a bit of glitter from one of the snowflakes in her drink and tried to pass it off as 'Christmas punch' she locked him out."

"How is Tori? Is she okay?" I asked.

"She has a few cuts and contusions, but nothing serious," he answered. "She did have one cut that looked pretty bad, but Maggie and Jake got her out and Maggie took care of it. They're both fine, too. And Maggie is helping your aunt downstairs, but there's only so much she can do before her powers are tapped out."

"Who did we lose?" I asked.

"A few kids who were caught in the crossfire…and we lost Austin," he said, a bit of grief passing over his face.

"How?" I asked. "Tori was supposed to be helping him."

"Royce snuck up behind him," Derek said. "Nobody saw it coming. He hit him with a chunk of brick in just the right spot and Austin was gone."

"Poor Austin," I said. "What did they do with his body? Did they give it to his mother or…"

"He'll get a proper burial," Derek said, squeezing my hand. "You should get some more rest. You got hit pretty hard."

"Who was it?" I asked.

"Amber," he growled. "She must have been hiding in the shadows. I didn't know she was there until she hit you. I saw you fall and I threw Liam off me and I rushed over."

"You looked really bad," I said, worried. I reached up and lightly touched his left cheek where a cut ran from top of his ear to the middle of his cheek.

"I'm fine now," he said, grabbing my hand and giving me a light kiss on my knuckles. "Maggie took care of the serious stuff and the rest will heal."

"What serious stuff?" I asked.

"Just a few cuts…and my nose, which I didn't think would ever stop bleeding," he said, offering a small smile.

"What about the other side?" I asked.

"Later," he said. "Right now you're going to sleep."

"But –"

"Sleep," he said, grabbing the blanket and pulling back over me.

"Just tell me one thing," I said.

"Just one," he said.

"Who won?" I asked.

He smiled and leaned forward. Kissing me softly on the forehead, he said, "We did."

I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face. When I opened my eyes again, there was sunlight streaming through the window. Derek was gone, but Aunt Lauren was hovering by the door. When she saw that I was awake, she came over and began examining my head and asking me questions, like do I know my name, how many fingers, etc.

"Aunt Lauren, I'm fine," I said, pushing her hand away. "I just have a little headache."

She reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the cup of water and pills that I had completely missed.

"Take these. They should help with the pain," she said. "Are you sure you feeling okay? Are you cold? I could get you another blanket."

She started walking towards the door, but I held out my hand to stop her. "I'm okay. I'm feeling fine. And you don't need to hover. I'm sure there are a lot of other people who need your attention more than I do."

She sighed and sat down in the chair that Derek had been sitting in earlier. "Unfortunately yes. I haven't been this busy since I quit my position at the hospital."

"Are there a lot of people?" I asked.

"Almost more than we have room for," she answered. "The only room downstairs that isn't filled with people is the kitchen and all the rooms upstairs are filled, even the main bedrooms."

Confused, I asked, "Then why am I the only one in here?"

"That would be Derek's doing," she said, standing up. "He refused to let Kit use his room for the wounded. And now I think I better check on a few people. Do you want me to get anyone for you?"

"Just find Derek and tell him to gather everyone. I want to see them," I said. "Thank you."

"Of course, honey," she said. "Just don't overexert yourself. You're still healing."

"I won't," I assured her.

I waited a few minutes before the door opened again and six teenagers came in, shutting the door behind them. Liz rushed over and starting checking my temperature and making sure that I wasn't dying. After assuring her that I was just fine, she settled for sitting right next to me on the bed so that I could lean on her if I got dizzy. Simon followed Liz's example and sat on my other side. Jake and Maggie sat at the foot of the bed and waited. Tori settled for standing by the door. Last was Derek, who claimed his chair.

"And how is milady?" Simon asked, putting his arm around my shoulder.

"Healing satisfactory and sick of everyone asking how I am," I answered. "How are _you _guys?"

"Pissed that I missed all the action," Simon said, pulling his arm back and crossing both over his chest while glaring over at Tori.

"But you got frostbite," I pointed out. "You _do_ have some battle scars."

He sat up straighter and said, "You're right. I do."

I saw Derek roll over his eyes behind Simon. Suppressing a giggle, I turned to Liz. "And you? I saw you fighting Ramon _and _Rae."

"I'm okay," she said, her normal chipper self. "No wounds to speak of. Except I have this splinter that I can't account for. Does it look infected to you?"

"I can't even see anything," I said, looking at the finger she was holding out.

"I told you, Liz, that it's just a freckle," Jake said.

"It is not," she argued. "It was not there before last night."

"How do you know? You never look between your fingers," Jake said.

Liz opened her mouth to argue back but shut it and said, "Hmm. You're right."

"And you?" I asked Jake.

"I got bit again," he said, holding out the same arm.

"Why does she keep biting you?" I asked, gently grabbing his arm and looking over the wound.

"Apparently she doesn't know the difference between saving and abducting," he said, shrugging.

"Somebody should put a muzzle on her," Simon said.

"No arguments here," Jake said, taking back his arm.

"Maggie?" I asked.

"I'm a little tired," she said. "Healing isn't as easy as it looks. And it's hard to get any sleep down there."

"I agree," Simon said. "My room is completely packed. I can't even step in there. And my bed totally has to be sanitized. Or burned."

"Well, you're free to sleep in here," I offered. "I won't complain at the company."

"Well, Mr. Souza," Simon said, looking over at Derek. "Do we have you're permission to use your bedroom for our nocturnal activities?"

"Their nocturnal activities, fine. I don't want to know what _your _nocturnal activities are," Derek said.

I didn't hold back my laugh this time and I wasn't the only one. Even Simon joined in. After everybody got their breath back, I looked over at Tori.

"I'm fine," she said. "Somebody could have been a little faster at getting me out, but I'm fine."

Jake looked at me and rolled his eyes.

"So, do I get to hear about the rest of the fight _now?_" I asked, looking at everyone.

"So there I was," Jake said getting up and dramatically waving his arms, "They had me locked in a corner. There was no way out. When suddenly –"

"When suddenly Jake sat back down and let somebody tell what _actually_ happened," Maggie said, yanking Jake back down by the back of his shirt.

"I was getting to that," he said, turning up his nose.

"Well, they lost," Liz said.

"That's all I know," I said. "But we were really outnumbered. How did we win?"

"We had reinforcements at the last minute," Derek said.

"Apparently Dad knows more than he lets on," Simon said. He got this worried look on his face and asked, "He hasn't been in my room, has he?"

"Okay, I'm confused," I said.

"Dad has apparently known about our little plan for a while now," Derek said. "He gathered up some friends of his from the supernatural community and showed up to help. It took him longer than he thought, though, so he missed most of it. Dad and his friend, Andrew, helped us get everybody out while the rest of them took care of what was left of the other side. Then they hauled us all here."

"What's wrong with the hospital?" I asked.

"And tell them?" Simon said.

"Good point," I said.

"Some people did get taken to the hospital," Derek said. "But just the non-supernaturals. The newspapers said that there was a gas leak in the gym and there was an explosion."

"How did they come up with that?" I asked.

"Some of the people who were taken to the hospital had burns, so they came up with their own conclusion," Derek said.

"I guess it makes as much sense as anything else," I said.

"We made sure to call the parents of everybody here," Simon said. "We lied to them and told them that their child was staying here for the weekend. They bought it."

"You're dad called," Derek said. "But we told him that you were already here when the explosion occurred."

"Thank you," I said. "I don't want him to worry about me."

"So, back to the fight," Jake said. "I'm sure you want to hear all the gory details."

"Yes, please," I said.

"Well, me and Maggie had a hell of a time keeping up with everybody. Nobody had the sense to get out of the way when an energy ball was getting hurled at them," Jake said.

"One of those energy balls came in handy, though," Liz said. "One got Ramon in the back and he went down. I kinda of feel bad for him."

"What about Rae?" I asked.

"Oh, well, once Ramon was taken care of, Rae wasn't so hard," Liz said. "I got her with a chair and she was unconscious."

"What about everybody else? What happened to them?" I asked.

"Well, Beth killed Royce," Tori said. "He had dropped the brick after he hit Austin and he was laughing so he didn't notice Beth pick up the same brick and pretty much bash him brains in."

"It was a little weird seeing the floating brick," Liz said.

"And Derek took care of Liam," Simon said. "That was cool. I got in just as Derek hurled him across the entire gym into Davidoff and a bunch of other adults."

"Across the entire gym?" I asked, impressed.

"I didn't mean to," Derek said. "I was trying to get him off me and away from you."

"Thank you," I said, smiling at him.

"And then Derek took care of Amber once he made sure that you were okay," Simon explained. "That wasn't as impressive, though."

Derek gave him an irritated look and said, "I'm sorry if saving Chloe wasn't as theatric as you wanted."

"You could have at least made her bleed a little," Simon said, crossing his arms and looking away.

"How did you take care of her without making her bleed?" I asked.

"There are a lot of ways to take care of someone without making them bleed," Derek said as if it was obvious.

"And which method did _you_ use?" I asked.

"I punched her and she hit the wall behind her," he said.

"That really wasn't theatrical," I said.

"I said it wasn't," he said.

"I won't doubt you again," I said.

"Yes you will," he said.

"Yeah, I probably will," I said, smiling.

"As much as I love this heartwarming conversation," Tori said sarcastically, "It's lunchtime and I want to get something to eat before we run out."

"Good idea," Simon said, getting up and walking to the door. Everybody left after him and I turned to Derek.

"Am I allowed to get out of bed?" I asked.

"As long as you don't go too fast," he said, grabbing my hand and helping me out of the bed.

I ended up leaning against him the entire way down, but he didn't complain. As we passed through the living room, I looked around me at the packed room. Some people were up and about, but some people were still unconscious. Derek squeezed my hand gently and I looked up him and smiled softly. When we got to the kitchen, everybody was fighting over what they wanted. Derek guided me over to the counter and I sat down. Kit walked into the room with a large pack of bottled waters and started sticking them in the fridge to cool.

"I'm glad I stocked up on nonperishables," he said, looking over Derek and grinning slyly.

Derek glared over at him while everybody just looked confused. I didn't bother asking. Derek would tell me later if I wanted to know. Without being asked, Derek fixed us both something to eat and carried it over to me so that I wouldn't have to do anything.

"So what's the verdict?" Simon asked Kit. "How long are we going to be a boarding house?"

"Some people are well enough to leave this afternoon if Derek doesn't mind playing chauffeur," Kit said, looking at Derek for an answer.

"As long as it gets them out of here faster," Derek said while taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Too many people eating your food?" I asked.

"They're like vultures," he said.

I laughed and took a bite out of my own sandwich.

"Will enough be leaving that I can get my room back?" Simon asked.

"Probably not," Kit answered.

"Damn," Simon said.

"What about the others?" Tori asked, "How long is it gonna take before they get to go?"

"It depends," Kit answered. "Some are injured more severely than others. When it starts to thin out, we'll move the more severely injured people into the guest room, which means that they need to be cleaned out completely."

He looked over at Simon when he said that and Simon said, "Why are you looking at me?"

"You look like you have too much time on your hands," he said, raising an eyebrow.

Grumbling, Simon grabbed one of the bottles of water and walked out. Jake shrugged and walked out after him, obviously bored. I finished eating and waited for Derek to finish. While I was waiting I watched Kit making trips from the basement back to the kitchen with boxes filled with food that he put in the cupboards. Apparently he really did stock up on nonperishables.

"Who wants to do something?" Liz asked, looking around.

"What did you have in mind?" Maggie asked.

"I don't know," she said. "That's why I said _something_."

"I kinda want to go lie down," I said, getting up.

"You okay?" Derek asked.

"Yeah. I'm just getting a little headache," I said. "It's no biggie."

"I'll help you," he said, getting out if his chair.

Instead of protesting that I was fine, I let him help me back up to his room. I wanted a little time alone with him and this was the only way I was going to get it. When we got to his room, he closed the door behind us and I walked over to the bed, sitting down. He looked over to the chair, but I patted the empty spot next to me and he nodded. When he was settled, I leaned against him and he lifted his arm over me and wrapped it around me.

"Want some aspirin or something?" he asked.

"No, Aunt Lauren gave me something when I woke up," I said. "Plus aspirin's something you take when you have a headache."

"But you said –" He stopped and smiled. "You lied."

"How else was I supposed to get any time alone with you?" I asked. "We're in a house filled to the brim with people."

"You could have said that you wanted time alone," he said.

"But then we would have gotten looks and smartass comments," I said.

"You've got a point," he said. "So, what did you have in mind?"

"I don't know," I said. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead yet."

"Only you," he said, shaking his head.

I gave him a light punch in the arm. "Not funny."

"I happen to believe that it was," he said, smirking done at me.

Settling back against him, I asked, "So what time are we going out?"

"Going out?" he asked.

"So you can change," I said.

"I don't know," he said. "Are you sure you're up to it? You're still healing."

"I'm fine," I said firmly. "Besides, it's not like I'll be doing anything but sitting there. And if I get tired walking back, I can lean on you for support."

"Alright," he said, running a hand through his hair. "We'll go when everybody's asleep. Or at least the people who will ask questions."

"Good," I said. "And no trying to back out of this. You promised."

"I have to be more careful what I promise," he said.

"As long as that doesn't include me," I said.

"What makes you think you're excluded?" he asked, leaning away to look down at me better.

"Because I have an advantage," I said.

"And what would that be?" he asked.

"I can always deny you relationship rights," I said, smiling.  
"Relationship rights? What the hell is that?" he asked.

Blushing, I looked down and said, "You know…kissing and stuff."

I trailed off at the end but I was sure that he heard me. I felt his arms wrap around me and he leaned his chin on my shoulder so that he could look me straight in the eye. When I finally looked, I saw that he was smirking again.

"And what makes you think that you'll last longer than I will?" he asked.

I pulled back and punched him again, this time a little harder but he didn't flinch. "You're so cocky. I can so last longer that you."

He pulled me back and leaned in before I could react and I gasped. His lips stopped just a millimeter above mine and I waited for him to close the distance but he never did. I looked up from his lips to see him looking at me. He watched me for a few more seconds before whispering,

"Can you last longer now?"

My breathing was heavy from the want of that kiss. I stared him straight in the eye so that I wouldn't be tempted by his lips. I could feel his soft breaths against my own lips and I had to stop myself from closing the distance. He was smirking again because he knew he had me beat.

"You're an as-"

He cut me off with his lips pressed firmly against mine. I sighed and wrapped my arms around his neck to keep myself up. He tightened his grip around me and I could feel his hard muscles as they held me close. At that moment I couldn't have cared less who won that battle. The outcome was too sweet.

"Hey Derek, Dad was won -" Simon started, walking into the room. He froze in the doorway and sputtering apologies. Derek and I pulled apart. The moment was ruined anyway.

"Dad was wondering what?" Derek asked, looking over his shoulder.

"I'll just tell him later," Simon said, turning around to walk out.

"_What_ did Dad want?" Derek asked.

"He was wondering if you minded bringing some of the people home now, but I can see you're busy," Simon said.

"_Now_ I'm not," Derek said, clearly annoyed. "I don't mind. Tell him to get the car warmed up."

"You sure? Cause if you wanted to wait for later…"

"Moment's gone anyway," Derek said, getting up. He looked at me and said, "And while I'm gone, you get some rest."

"But I'm not tired," I said.

"It'll help with your _headache,_" he said.

I stuck my tongue out at him and Simon gave us a funny look. He walked out with Derek and looked down at the bed I was in. _Might as well try to get some rest._

…,,,…

"Is it always this dark out?" I asked, tripping over another snow covered branch.

"It's night," he pointed out.

"So?" I asked. "Alaska gets to have twenty four hour daylight, why can't we?"

"Because we live in New York, not Alaska," he said, reaching back and grabbing my hand to signal that there was another branch. "Besides, we're here."

I looked up from the ground to see that we had made it to the clearing.

"You wait out here while I change," he said. He took of his coat and wrapped it around my shoulders. "I'll let you know when you can come in."

I nodded and watched as he went through. I could hear his zipper unzip and the rustling of clothes and my face reddened even though I couldn't see him. The fact that I _knew_ he was naked behind that bush was enough. For extra measure, I turned around while I waited. I heard more snow crunching and a small hiss that I assumed meant he was now kneeling in snow with no protection. A minute later, there was snap and a groan and I knew that it had started. I listened to every snap and groan of pain with a sick feeling in my stomach.

The noises eventually ended and I opened my eyes and listened to a signal. There was a small tug on my pant leg and I looked down to see a pair of green eyes looking up at me. He tugged again and I followed him inside. His clothes were lying in a pile and for me gestured for me to sit on them. When I had gotten comfortable, I looked over at him to see that he was watching. He cautiously took a step forward before taking it back. I held out my hand and he slowly crept forward. He touched the end of my fingers with his nose and I smiled. He relaxed when he saw me smile and he walked the rest of the way over. Lying down next to me, he laid his head on my lap and closed his eyes.

"Changing takes a lot out of you, doesn't it?" I asked. I gently stroked his head and felt the heat radiating from him.

He chuffed his answer and I took it as a yes.

"You can sleep if you want," I said. "If you need to."

He opened his eyes and looked up at me.

"You know, this whole 'only I can talk' thing is getting a little awkward," I said. "What do you usually do when you change? Do you run around a chase squirrels?"

This time I got a reaction. He gave me a look that clearly said 'no way in hell.' He closed his eyes again and let out a sigh. I didn't say anything as it continued to stroke his head. He didn't seem to mind and when I stopped he pushed his head back under my hand. I smiled and watched him. The moon provided just enough light so that I wasn't squinting to make him out. His pure black fur did make it a little hard, but with the white snow, I didn't have any trouble telling him from the ground. I couldn't see his eyes behind his closed lids, so it didn't know where anything was on him expect for his ears which were right next to me hand. Leaning back against the tree behind me, I closed my eyes for a few minutes rest.

Something slightly wet touched my cheek and I swat at it. It did it again and I groaned angrily, swatting harder. I collided with something soft this time and I opened my eyes to see Derek sitting next to me, still a wolf.

"I'm not going in until you're ready to," I said.

He nudged me and I said, "Nuh uh."

He let out a small growl and pushed me harder. When I fell over, I turned to give him a piece of my mind when I saw him picking up his clothes in his mouth. Blushing, I realized that he just wanted me off his clothes so that he could change. _Oops._

He walked through the bush to the other side and I waited for him to finish. It seemed to be quicker this time. When the bush rustled, I looked over to see him walked through. He held out a hand and I grabbed it, pulling myself up. When I offered him his coat, he shook his head.

"How often do you have to do that?" I asked.

"Couple times a month," he said.

"What happens if you don't?" I asked.

"I get cranky," he said. "And it eventually forces itself."

"Ouch," I said.

He let out a laugh. "You get used to it. It still hurts like hell, but I think of it as normal now."

"And I thought cramps were bad," I said.

"You won't be thinking that the next time you get them," he pointed out.

"No, probably not," I said, smiling. "I'm surprised. Here I am talking about my 'girl problem' and you're not heading for the hills."

"That stuff doesn't bother me," he said. "If you were to start talking about the sale they were having at Macys or something, then yeah, I'd be fleeing."

"You have to be the only guy who doesn't flee at that kind of stuff," I said. "Most guys would make any excuse not to hear it."

"Simon definitely fits in that category," Derek said. "But he still gets a kick out of calling my changes my own period. And that was a literal kick…in the ass…hard."

Laughing, I said, "I'm starting to feel better that I don't have siblings."

"Well, savor it while you can," he said. "Someday you're going to marry someone that has his own and they will make you wish you were still single."

I stopped walking and it took a few seconds before he realized that I was no longer with him. He turned around and gave me a confused look.

"What's wrong?" he asked. When I didn't answer, he walked back to me and asked, "Chloe? You okay?"

Shaking myself, I said, "Yeah, sorry. I'm fine."

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said, trying to get around him.

He stopped me and said, "What's wrong? Did I say something?"

I hesitated and he asked, "What did I say?"

"Nothing," I said.

The looked like he was thinking back and his eyes widened. "When I said that… I didn't mean to imply-"

"I know," I said, cutting him off.

"Then why won't you look at me?" he asked.

"I know you didn't mean to imply it, but you don't really have to," I said, looking down at my shoes. "I know that I'm not really the kind of girl that most guys think they want as a long term."

He stared at me for a minute before he started laughing. I looked up at him. He saw the look on my face and he instantly sobered. He gathered me in his arms and said "I thought you were being quiet because you thought I already assumed we'd get married some day. Chloe, we've been dating for a week. I like you, I do. A lot. But those kinds of thoughts won't even enter my mind for years. And I _was not _implying that I don't see you as long term. I only meant that someday you will get married. And that person will most likely have siblings that will be a pain in the ass. Now, if that person who you decide is worth it someday happens to be me, I won't run. You're the only girlfriend I've ever had. And the only girl I've ever liked. I don't know what it's like to have dated multiple girls and have those different experiences, but I don't plan on starting now. I don't see wedding bells in our future or fat grandchildren, but I'm only seventeen. And I doubt you see them either. But that doesn't mean that I want to break up with you anytime soon or maybe at all. I like you. And I'm going to keep on liking you with you in my arms or not."

As much as I hate to admit it, I felt a tear slide down cheek. "I like you, too."

"I don't know what's in my future," he said. "But right now, I see you. If that leads to something more, I'll worry about that then. But all I want to think about is right now because we won't get there if we don't."

I wrapped my arms around him and leaned my head against his chest. His wrapped me farther into his arms and rested his cheek on top of me head. I closed my eyes and listened to his heartbeat, smiling. He was right, again. The future was the future. It was gonna happen someday but it was a long ways off. Right now was more important and right now I was as happy as I'd been in a while. Nestled in Derek's warm arms, I couldn't think of anything I wanted more.

"You know," he said. "I still haven't seen your victory dance."

Smiling, I said, "Someday."

**Okay. Last actual chapter down. Now I just have to do the epilogue and I'll have actually finished a story. I have a favor for you guys. I need your questions. The epilogue to supposed to tie up any loose ends but I need to know what loose ends need to be tied. **


	25. Fin

**Okay, so I know that I'm supposed to be updating both Holiday Happenings and Title Pending, but I still feel inspired to write for this story so I'm writing the epilogue early. A lot of you will be disappointed in this. I know a lot of you wanted me to do it for when their married, but that was farther than I had in mind. In fact, I had already planned on doing it for a specific time, so I'm sticking with that. But I think that I will eventually write a one-shot or two based off this story.**

**The answer to the last riddle was if you're a mouse.**

**Disclaimer: I do now own The Darkest Powers**

**This takes place two weeks after the last chapter. Christmas break has just ended. **

**Chloe's POV**

"I can't believe you overslept by half an hour," Beth said, sitting on my dresser while I stumbled out of bed and over to my closet. "They're going to be here any moment."

"I know, I know," I said. "I've been sleeping in for two weeks. Give me a break."

She sighed and looked down at her nail. When she looked up, she gave me a repulsed look. "You're wearing _that?_"

I looked down at my outfit. I had went with a pair of jeans that definitely needed a patch job and Derek's dark blue sweatshirt, which he still didn't know I had.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked.

"These people haven't seen you in two weeks and _that's _what you're showing them?" she asked. "At least give them something to stare at."

"I've tried that before, remember? It backfired," I said, my hands on my hips.

"But-"

"They're here," a voice said from by the door.

I looked over and smiled. Austin stood by the door with his hands shoved in his pockets. I hadn't heard a knock on the door, so assumed they were still downstairs, which meant he was trying to distract Beth. I grabbed my bag and walked past him, mouthing 'thanks' as I went by. Austin's presence was becoming as familiar as Beth's. He was still a little timid around me, but I've noticed some changes. He was becoming a little bolder, but only around Beth. Nobody but me could see him, so he didn't have to worry about embarrassing himself. Beth knew that she was free to leave at any point, even though I would miss her, but she firmly stated that she was going to stay by my side until I learned to stop being so clumsy…or until I move in with Derek. I tried explaining to her that I may never move in with him, but she was confident that I would someday, not that I would complain.

The last two weeks were Christmas break, which meant two weeks with no school and two weeks hanging out with Derek with almost no interruptions. It did help that Simon was distracted with making out with Maggie, not that she knows I know, and Tori was busy building a friendship with Liz. They went out shopping almost every day, to Kit's wallet's dismay. And because they were busy, I finally got to kiss Derek without somebody walking in and ruining the moment. We spent most of our time at his house, but occasionally we were here. Dad had required Derek to come over to dinner one night to get to know him, which was Dad's way of saying that he approved but he had to act like a parent once in a while. He still doesn't know about what I am. Someday I'll tell him, but I think the fact that I have a boyfriend is enough new for now. Aunt Lauren, on the other hand, had a long talk with me after things had cooled off after the fight. She had sat me down and explained some things to me, like we're my powers came from. She felt really guilty about keeping me in the dark about them, but I easily forgave her. She also told me more about the group of people that we fought, like how she used to be one of them. I was more surprised at that, but I had heard from Derek that his dad had also been part of it. She explained to me that she quit her job from the hospital to take the job at the school because she knew that uneducated humans weren't equipped with the knowledge of how to deal with supernaturals when it came to their health. She also talked about Derek. Being that loving aunt that she is, she felt the need to find out as much about him as she could…to make sure he wasn't a bad influence for her niece, namely me. I don't think she found out anything bad, because she hasn't had any more talks with me, but she gets this look on her face whenever we start to act couply. I think it's the loving aunt part of her, but I can't be sure.

"Bye Dad," I said, walking into the kitchen and grabbing an apple before heading for the door.

"Hold on," he said. I turned around to see what he was doing, but his back was turned. I heard him shuffling through his briefcase before he found what he was looking for and turned around. "Can you do me a favor? Can you give these to the office at your school for me?"

"What are they?" I asked, grabbing the papers and putting them in my bag.

"Building plans and the like," he said. "I've been hired to plan the reconstruction of the gym and also some new additions to the school."

"But you build apartments," I pointed.

"That's what I _choose_ to do," he said. "Not what I'm _capable_ of doing. I can plan other building styles, too."

"Wait, what about the business trip to China?" I asked.

"I can't work on the school from China, now can I?" he asked, smiling.

I grinned and asked, "How long is it going to take you to complete the school?"

"Well, these things can stretch out a while," he said. "I don't think I'll be going anywhere for a while."

I was about to run over and hug him when I heard a knock on the door. I settled for a smile and walked out of the kitchen. I knew who was on the other side of the door, so I took my time, making him wait. When I did get to the door, I made sure to take my time zipping up my jacket getting my bag over my shoulders just right. I opened the door to see Derek leaning casually against the door frame.

"Hi," I said, walking out and shutting the door.

"Hey," he said.

He started turning around, but I grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pulled down until my lips could reach his. I could feel his lips turn up in a smile and he gripped my waist lightly while I said good morning. When I pulled back, he smiled down at me and then turned around. I followed next to him into the elevator.

"You ready to go back to school?" I asked.

"Not really but Dad wouldn't let me stay home," he said. "Apparently my education is important."

"But does anybody actually learn anything at school?" I asked.

"That was my point," he said.

"I'm guessing he didn't buy it?" I asked.

"Unfortunately," he said. "How about you?"

"I slept in," I said. "I'm not ready to even wake up at a normal time. And I'm a little wary. I wonder how different things are going to be."

"Well, half the teachers are either dead or probably fired, the principal and vice principal are both dead, and about a quarter of the student body are gone," he said. "I'd say it'll be different."

"Think we'll get any weird looks?" I asked.

"I'm counting on it," he said.

We stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby. Once we were outside, he opened the car door for me and I slid in. Simon was in the back with his head pressed against the window and his eyes closed.

"What's with him?" I asked.

"Dumbo decided it would be a good idea to spend Christmas break seeing how long he could stay up," Tori explained.

"But he seemed so awake," I said.

"That was after an entire pot of coffee," she said.

"No coffee this morning?" I asked.

"He drank it all yesterday," Derek said, starting the car and pulling out. "Dad wasn't too pleased with him this morning when he couldn't have his coffee."  
We rode in silence to the school and then Derek tossed his bag at Simon, effectively jolting him awake. I laughed at the look on his face and then followed Derek out. We all walked in together and the first thing I noticed was the excited bustle in the halls. It was not what I was expecting. I noticed a few faces missing, but for the most part it was the same.

"This is weird," I said.

"I really agree," Derek said. "Come on, let's get to our lockers."

I followed behind him and looked back at Simon, who shrugged and walked with us. Tori was the first to branch off when she saw Liz. The latter waved at us and then walked off with Tori.

"There's Maggie," I said to Simon, smiling back at him. He grinned and nodded his goodbye before joining her.

We stopped at my locker first and then continued on to his. I watched all the people as I waited for him and noted that the majority were smiling, happy to be back with their friends.

"Their happiness really isn't contagious," I pointed out.

"Pity," Derek said, sarcastically.

I smiled back at him and shook my head. I opened my mouth to speak when there was a buzz and then a voice started over the intercom. It was Mr. Drake's voice.

"Please report to the cafeteria for a morning assembly. Thank you."

"I was expecting this," Derek said.

"Why was Mr. Drake calling everybody to the cafeteria?" I asked.

"Because our principal's gone and can't make the call from the other side," he said.

"Smart ass," I said. "Come on. I want a seat."

He followed behind me to the cafeteria. It was filling up fast and I could see that it was going to be difficult to find seats. I glanced over the room and my eyes stopped at a table at the far side of the room. It was empty except for one person, who was now watching me warily. I looked back at Derek and he nodded. We dodged through the throng of people until we got there.

"Can we sit?" I asked.

"Sure," Rae said, sliding her bag closer to herself. I noticed she had a cut on her arm that was still healing.

"How was your break?" I asked, keeping my tone light.

"Fine," she said. "I mostly watched TV."

"I didn't do much either," I said. "Mostly relaxed."

She nodded and looked down. I looked over at Derek. He didn't say anything, but I knew that he didn't disapprove of me talking to Rae. He knew it was important to me. I heard voices calling from across the room and I looked over to see Jake and Simon trying to break through the crowd. I winced as I saw Simon get elbowed in the stomach. He still looked like he was in pain when he sat down. Jake plopped down next to him and Maggie sat down on his other side. Tori and Liz soon followed.

"What do you suppose this is about?" Simon asked.

Derek looked at me and I knew he was fighting back a sarcastic answer.

The sound of a microphone turning on caught my attention and everybody turned to the doors. Mr. Drake was standing in front of a microphone waiting for everybody to quiet down.

"I know this is kind of tight quarters, but if you could all try and keep calm for a few minutes, I'll try and hurry this up. As you know, the Friday before break we had an accident in the gym and lost fellow students as well as faculty. If we could take a moment of silence to honor those we lost."

I thought of Austin, who was probably still at my place with Beth. I had a feeling he was happier as a ghost than he was alive. I also thought of the other side. I didn't like them, but they were still human beings. I thought of Mr. Davidoff and Mrs. Enright and I thought of Liam and Amber, who were probably on Derek's mind and of Ramon and Royce. There were many more, but I didn't have time to consider them all before Mr. Drake started talking again.

"As you all know, our gym is…well, it's demolished. Because of this, all gym classes will be moved to the second floor commons. And because of the excessive loss in teachers, there were some changes to the classes until we can bring in new teachers. All history classes will be combined with theatre classes and will meet in the theatre room. All English classes for all grades will be combined and will meet in Mrs. Hart's room. All math classes will be combined for all grades and will meet in Mr. Griggs' room. All sciences and languages will proceed normally. All other electives will meet in the cafeteria. Because of the loss of our administrative faculty, I will be taking the role of principal until one can be found and Ms. Lowenberger will act as vice principal. If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask. You're all excused."

The crowd erupted in chatter as they got up and left. We stayed behind to talk to Mr. Drake. When enough people had left, we made our way over to him. He saw us coming and smiled.

"Congratulations you guys," he said. "I'm very proud of you all."

"What did we accomplish?" Tori asked.

"Well, I don't think they'll stop," he said. "But I think it will take them a while to come up with another plan of action."

"So we just slowed them down?" Simon asked.

"You stopped them," Mr. Drake answered. "But that doesn't mean they'll stop trying. The important thing is that while they're reconvening, they can't eliminate anyone."

"What happens the next time they attack?" I asked

"Let's hope it's long enough away that we can build up our defenses and recruit more help," he said. "Now, the bell is about to ring and I wouldn't want anyone to be late for class."

We said our goodbyes to him and to each other and branched off to our classes.

…,,,…

"Okay everyone," the biology sub said. "I have here your graded projects. Your teacher specifically wanted to me to tell you that your grades aren't necessarily the same as your partners."

I exchanged a look with Simon and sank down in my seat. When he finally called my name, I grabbed my graded paper and tucked it in my bag face down. I didn't want to know until school was over so that it wouldn't ruin my day.

…,,,…

"Why do you look so worried?" Derek asked, sitting next to me on top of a cafeteria table. We were waiting for everyone to arrive so that we could leave. We were all going out for an ice cream and a movie.

"I got my project back for biology," I explained.

"How did you do?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said. "I haven't checked yet."

He reached for my bag and looked through before finding the paper and looking at it.

"I don't know why you're freaking out," he said. "You got an A."

"What!" I squealed and reached over. I snatched it from his hands and looked at the large A gracing the top of the page. Grinning broadly, I forgot where I was and started my victory dance. I almost finished it this time, when my foot got one of the seats and I shot forward. Derek grabbed my waist and stopped me. I looked up at him and blushed at the amusement on his face.

"That was your victory dance?" he asked, trying hard to contain his laughter.

"Yes, chuckles, it was," I said.

He pulled me closer to him so that I was pressed against him. I looked at his lips and back up at his eyes.

"Can you do it again?" he asked, smiling.

I laughed and threw my arms around his neck. Our kiss wasn't long because we were in the middle of the school cafeteria, but it didn't lack for breathlessness. I remained pressed comfortably against Derek's side when everybody started coming into the room. Maggie and Simon were first, followed by Tori and Liz. We waited another five minutes for Jake, but he didn't show.

"Where is he?" I asked. There was a buzz as the intercom went on and my eyes widened, looking at Derek. He looked at me, remembering and glanced at Simon, who was grinning broadly and turning his phone on to the camera.

"Students and staff," Jake's voice sounded.

"What the hell is he doing?" Tori asked.

"I, Jacob Shaw, pledge my eternal love to Victoria Enright," he said. "That is all."

Tori didn't say anything, but her face and clenched fists did. She was beyond pissed. I swear I could see the steam coming out of her eyes. She launched herself for the door and I hoped Jake had a good head start.

We all burst out laughing and I ended pressing into Derek's side to try and contain my laughter. I was gasping for breath and couldn't seem to stop. I could feel Derek shaking with his own laughter. After five minutes, we finally caught our breath.

"Think this will put a damper on their relationship?" Simon asked.

"What relationship?" Liz asked.

"We caught them making out in the library after lunch," Simon said, gesturing to him and Maggie.

"What!" Liz said. "This is something you tell us when it happens!"

"Slipped my mind," Simon said. "I got distracted."

"Yeah, by your own making out," Derek said.

Maggie looked away, smiling. Simon just shrugged. Derek stood up to go and we followed.

"Shouldn't we do something about Jake and Tori?" I asked.

"Yeah," Derek said. "Hope that he can run."

**And that's it. All done. The end. Like I said at the beginning, I probably will eventually write a one-shot or two based on this story. But for now, farewell. Stay tuned for the list of story options. **


	26. Story Options

**So here is the list of choices for my next story (or possibly stories.) Please choose only two options. You can answer in a review or a PM.**

**The Disappearance (Possible Title Change)**

After their last reconnaissance mission of the St. Clouds, the group never wants to hear the name again because not everybody made it back. Simon, Tori, and Chloe make it to safety, but Derek is left behind after getting a bullet to the back, leaving a three month pregnant Chloe to raise their child on her own. Three years later, the group ends up captured and shipped back to the very place that they had fled three years ago. Separated from the group and her daughter, Chloe must figure out what exactly the St. Clouds want from them this time and who is the mysterious man who shares her dark room?

**Whose Baby?**

When a simple gynecologic check up results in Tori's unexpected pregnancy, Simon and Derek are left perplexed. Nine months later, the baby whose origin is unknown is taken. But before they can figure out their present dilemma, Derek receives a package he never expected: a baby of his own. The papers claim it's his and the blood test confirms it, but who's the mother? And why does his blond haired, blued eyed baby look strangely like an old friend?

**Animal Instincts (This is totally different than anything I've written)**

Spells are very tricky business. Every syllable is important. When a simple spell is one syllable off, the world is changed dramatically. Nobody is left unaffected. The group is scattered and alone. In order to regroup and reverse the spell, they will have to rely on their animal instincts.

**Unexpected Odds**

Love is never easy, something that seventeen year old Chloe Saunders knows well. Especially when the object of your attraction is not only the hottest guy in school and the center of every girl's attention, but the star quarterback as well. Chloe has known Derek Souza since she was five years old, but she began to see him in a different light a year ago. How can Chloe convince a guy she's known for so long but has never talked to that she exists? And how will she get past her jittering nerves long enough to look him in the eye?

**I may get more ideas, so this list may be subject to change. **


	27. You're Quite The Schemer

**Miss me? In my mission to update all my stories, I have included my completed stories as well and decided to write a one-shot. And that is exactly what this is. A one-shot. As in, there will be no continuation on. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers**

**This takes place about a month or so after the epilogue.**

**Chloe's POV:**

I pulled my hat farther down and peeked over the top of the fort. It was calm…too calm. The enemy had ceased fire. I didn't buy into their strategy, though. They had been attacking full blast just a minute ago and with Jake's scary ability to form a perfect snowball in five seconds, there was no reason for them to stop. It wasn't like they had run out of snow, especially with the huge snow storm that had gone through last night and that had carried on into this morning and caused the district to cancel school.

Next to me, Maggie continued to restock our own ammunition as we waited and tried to determine what they were going to do next. Beth was helping her as best she could, but the ability to form solid, round snowballs was still in development for her. Austin was currently across enemy lines as the perfect spy. Behind me, Derek slid over to me and pulled me against him so that he could get a closer look over our fort, which was actually just a long rock that was covered in snow. The other side didn't know that.

"Any sign of Austin?" Derek asked, his warm breath cascading over my chilled skin and causing a shudder to go through me.

"Not yet," I said. "I'll give him a few more minutes and then I'll send Beth over."

He nodded and rested his face in the crook of my neck, pushing down the top of my jacket and accessing my bare skin. I smiled when I felt his lips briefly brush against the spot and leaned back into him. My scarf had slid off long ago and been buried in the snow and the heat pouring off him felt too good to resist. He had just changed last night to avoid the huge storm, but he was still experiencing the aftermath of a recent change. He was still radiating a great deal of heat, which I very much enjoyed. It was especially useful last night when the storm knocked out the power in the middle of the night and the heat shut off. While everybody else was huddled in their blankets trying to keep warm, I was blissfully soaking up the extra heat coming off of Derek. Simon and Tori made a point to mention the fact that I slept in Derek's bed with him in front of Kit, whose only response was a comeback that at least we were warm. He knew that we weren't sleeping together and completely trusted Derek to keep his hands to himself. He did not, however, have that much trust in Simon and had in fact checked to make sure that Simon was not sharing his own body heat with a member of the opposite sex. Tori, too.

"You guys are _so _cute," Beth gushed.

I made a face at her. She stuck her tongue out at me and I returned the gesture. I saw someone silently approaching from the corner of my eye and I looked up to see Austin walking over with his hands in his pockets. The cold had no effect on neither Beth nor Austin, but they were still dressed for the part. In the month and a half after Austin had become a ghost, he had become a constant in my life. He had taken up permanent residence in my apartment. And because only I could see him, his presence wasn't disturbing in the least, especially with how happy it made Beth. And in that month and a half, our friendship has really grown. It will never be as strong as my friendship with Beth, but he's like a brother-in-law that you really kick if off with.

"What's the situation?" I asked.

He leaned down next to Beth. "They have restocked their ammunition to great proportions and are planning a bombard us with a unitary attack method."

I passed on the message to Maggie and Derek. Maggie nodded and continued forming snowballs, but Derek didn't say anything. When I turned around to see if he heard me, I discovered he was staring straight ahead, very focused. I tried to follow his eyes, but I didn't see anything that could be so attention-worthy.

"What are you looking at?" I asked.

Without looking at me, he gestured forward with his head. "See the tree above their fort?"

"Yeah. What about it?" I asked.

"The lower branch is covered in snow," he explained. "If you look closely, you can see that it's bending under all the weight. If we can disturb the fragile equilibrium, we can send the entirety of the snow tumbling down on them."

I stared at him for a second before smiling. "I am so glad you're on this team."

He sat up and carefully crawled over to where Maggie was carefully constructing snowballs. He had to be careful, considering he was over six feet tall and the wall of our fort wasn't that tall.

"We all need to aim at the branch," Derek instructed. "Don't even bother trying to get them."

We split the balls up according to was a better shot. Derek and Beth were responsible for most of the snowballs while Maggie and I were to try our best not to miss. I sent Austin over as an extra pair of eyes. We waited, ready to attack. Austin gave the signal and we launched our attack. A battle cry came from the opposite fort and snowballs came flying at us. They never noticed where we were aiming. Derek and Beth quickly ran out of ammo. I saw the branch quiver and handed Derek my last snowball. He drew his arm back and threw it with as much force as he could muster, which was a lot. The ball hit right on target and suddenly the weight on the branch was too much and contents came tumbling down on our opponents. Shouts of surprise sounded throughout the small clearing. Heads poked up through the snow and looked around in confusion. Beth was rolling around on the ground clutching her side as her hysterical laughter was uncontrollably released.

Everybody in the team across from us finally seemed to realize what had happened and started to argue that we had cheated. They continued to complain the entire way to the house. They stopped, though, when we finally entered the house and discovered it was as cold as it was when we left it. Everybody was reluctant to take off their jackets, but the water dripping onto the floor was a bit of a problem. As soon as everyone's jacket touched a hook, they rushed upstairs to change into dry clothes. I walked up the stairs with Derek and winced every time my wet socks squished against my feet. We went into his room and he immediately went over to his closet to find himself a pair of clothes, leaving me to rifle through the dresser drawer he had emptied out for me because I spent so much time here. I grabbed out a pair of loose sweats and a t-shirt. As I shut the drawer, Derek tossed a sweatshirt back at me and it landed over my head. With our backs turned to each other, we changed. He waited for my okay to turn around and we headed downstairs together.

As soon as we walked into the kitchen, heat surrounded us. Kit sat at the table with a steaming cup of coffee. I looked around for the source of the heat and saw the oven door was slightly propped open.

"Isn't that dangerous?" I observed.

"It's not on," he assured me. "It _was_ on. I'm just allowing the leftover heat to be of some use."

"How does the oven work if the power's out?" I asked, sitting down at the table.

"The oven is gas," Kit answered. He gestured to stove, where two bread pans sat atop covered with a towel. "We had two frozen loaves of banana bread in the freezer and I thought it was the best time to bake them. I'd hurry, though. They are cooling off quickly. And the kettle on the stove has hot chocolate."

We helped ourselves before the rush and settled back at the table. The heat pouring off my mug soaked through to the bone and I shuddered at the pleasure of it. Kit was right about the bread. It was barely warm and getting colder by the minute. Derek wolfed his down in seconds. Just as I took a bite out of mine, everybody else found their way to the kitchen and gasped when they discovered the heat. They then saw that we had food and rushed to get their own portions. I slowly sipped at my hot chocolate and savored the hot, rich chocolate as it warmed me from the inside out.

"Why is it still cold in here?" Simon asked. "I thought you were going to call someone."

"If you haven't noticed," Kit said, "There was a snow storm last night and the roads are blocked. I _did _call someone. They will be here when it is safe for them to do so. However, there is a limited amount of plows in the city and they have to take care of the major roads first."

"So when are we going to have power?" Tori asked.

"I'm not sure," Kit answered. "We may not have power until tomorrow."

"What?!" Tori exploded. "Tomorrow?! How am I supposed to survive in a house that's as cold inside as it is outside?"

"You're not suffering at the moment," Kit pointed out.

"The heat's not going to last that long," Tori argued.

"Is the fireplace in the living room safe?" Derek cut in.

"It is," Kit said. "But I don't know where you are planning on getting the wood."

"The shed is stocked out back," Simon said. "We filled it a while ago for bonfires."

Derek scooted his chair back and stood up. "I'll go get an armful."

"I'll help," Jake offered.

When Simon didn't immediately offer his services, we girls stared at him until he sighed and followed them out. I went behind him to work the door. The rest of the girls stayed in the kitchen. I waited by the door for a few minutes before someone banged against the door. I quickly opened it and the boys walked inside, each with an armful of wood. Kit carried a plastic bin into the hall and the boys dropped the wood inside.

"It's starting to snow again," Derek said as he took of his jacket.

"That could be a problem," Kit said. "I'm guessing school will be cancelled again tomorrow."

"Yes!" Simon said.

"You're going to have to turn the biology paper in eventually," I said.

"But not tomorrow," he said, marching off in victory.

Derek lugged the heavy bin into the living room and started to load up the fireplace. Everybody flocked into the room now that the kitchen was cold again. When he had it just the way he wanted it, Derek stepped back and motioned for Rae to light the fire. She knelt down and concentrated. A spark ignited a piece of newspaper Derek had shoved in for kindling and spread to the closest log. The fire quickly spread to the other logs and in minutes, the fire was roaring. The room would still take a while to heat up, however, so we all grabbed blankets and huddled on the couches. The sharing of body heat was popular. Simon and Maggie shared a blanket, as well as Tori and Jake and Liz and Rae. Liz had an advantage because Rae could heat up the surrounding air, but it was a very limited power because it took a lot of effort not to start the blanket on fire. Out of everyone, however, I had the greatest advantage. Huddled against Derek with a blanket around us, it wasn't long before I could easily sag against him and bask in the heat. I snuggled my face into his side to protect it from the cold air and I felt myself drifting off.

…,,,…

I wasn't sure how much time had passed since I fell asleep. I slowly became aware that I had switched positions. Instead of sitting up, I felt myself lying down. Opening my eyes, I was met with Derek's chest, which was slowly rising and falling with each breath. My eyes lifted to his face and I saw that he was sleeping. Careful not to wake him, I twisted around to get a look at the room. Everybody was still where they were when I fell asleep, except Jake was lying on the floor while Tori had the couch to herself. Simon and Maggie had somehow managed to turn and their feet were in each other's faces. Rae and Liz were the only ones who hadn't moved at all. They were still leaning against each other. My eyes shifted to the fireplace and I discovered the fire was almost out. Only a few dying embers remained in the ashes.

Derek shifted next to me and his breathing became shallower as he woke up. I turned around to look at him. His hair was mussed where he dragged his hand through it and his eyes were only opened to slits as he fought sleep. He offered me a tired smile and leaned back to stretch.

"Hi," I said softly.

"Hi," he yawned.

He looked around the room at everybody and then he saw the fire was out. Groaning softly, he pushed himself up into sitting position. He ran his hands through his hair again and ruffled it more. He stood and walked over to the fireplace to feed the fire. Once the wood was in, he stayed where he was, kneeling before the only source of heat in the room. I watched the light flicker across his face and thought about the last two months. In a few days, we would officially be dating for two months. We weren't celebrating it, though. Much to Simon's dismay. According to Derek, Simon gave him some huge lecture about celebrating milestones. When he passed on the information onto me, I just laughed. Neither of us cared to celebrate something like dating for two months. While we were both appreciative that we have made it almost two months, it wasn't like we were exactly worried that it wouldn't happen. Besides the occasional outbreak of temper, there was nothing getting in the way of our relationship.

A clock chimed somewhere deep in the house and Derek looked up. Our eyes met and he looked down at his watch.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Three," he answered.

"It's too early to be awake," I complained.

"I agree," he said. "But I won't be able to fall asleep now."

He stood and started walking toward the kitchen. Having nothing better to do, I got up to follow. I froze when Jake stirred. He turned away from me to face the couch and then was silent. Sighing out in relief, I crept past everyone to meet Derek. I found him looking inside the dark refrigerator. He scowled at the amount of food that was going to spoil. I couldn't help but smile at his reaction. Of course the one thing he was worried about the most was the food.

"What's the verdict?" I asked, walking up behind him and wrapping my arms around his waist.

"It can probably last another day, but not much longer," he said. "And the stuff in the freezer is going to spoil much quicker, if it hasn't already."

"What's in there?" I asked.

He opened the door and looked inside. "Mostly meat. There are some pizzas and a tub of ice cream which is starting to drip down the sides."

"I'll grab a spoon," I offered, heading over to the silverware drawer.

"A spoon?" he questioned.

"Well, we can't let it go to waste," I explained.

"You want to eat ice cream when it's already freezing in here?" he asked incredulously.

"If you don't want to, then more for me," I said.

I reached past him and pulled it out. He was right. The stuff that had been clinging to the side of the container was now dripping quite profusely down the side onto my hands. Derek shut the freezer door and grabbed a dish towel. He grabbed the ice cream and wrapped the towel around it, protecting our hands from the stickiness. After he handed it back to me, we went back into the living room where the heat was. Settling on the couch, I peeled off the cover and sank the spoon into the partially melted dessert inside. I had the spoon almost to my mouth when Derek grabbed my hand and diverted the spoon into his mouth. I gaped at him momentarily and then pulled my hand out of his. Scooping out more, I tried again. This time, I was expecting his intervention, but he was too fast for me to stop him and the ice cream, once again, made it into his mouth instead of mine. Too get back at him, I scooped some out with me finger and plopped it on his nose. He looked cross-eyed down at it. I half-expected him to try and get it with his tongue, but he knew better than to try. However, his maturity only went so far as he returned the gesture and plastered my nose. It was cold and _I _tried to get it with my tongue. Derek snorted his amusement and grabbed at the tub in my hands. I twirled so that my back faced him and leaned over the tub so that he couldn't get at it. His response was to lift up my shirt slightly and lay his ice cold hands against my lower back. I gasped and my back shot up straight. In our fight over the ice cream, neither of us noticed anybody else waking up.

"What are you guys doing?" Simon asked, peeking over Maggie's feet.

"Nothing," we said simultaneously.

"What is that?" he asked, sitting up.

"Nothing," we said again.

"Is that…ice cream?" he asked. "Hey! Give me some."

He started to scramble over Maggie, who woke up and shoved him off the couch. When he hit the floor with an oomph, she looked over her shoulder and winced. He brushed it off and scrambled over. Derek tried to pull the tub away from him, but Simon snatched it and the spoon and took off. Jake came out of nowhere and ran interference. Eventually, everybody woke up and started in on the action. Apparently even in cold weather ice cream was a worthy cause. Simon almost had the tub away from Tori when we heard a cough coming from behind us. We slowly turned to see Kit standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. He shook his head and turned to leave, muttering 'children' under his breath. As soon as he was out of sight, everybody went back at it. From behind me, somebody snatched me around the waist and swung me out of the action. Laughing, I grabbed onto their arms. Without looking back, I knew it was Derek and it was confirmed when he swung me up bridal-style in his arms and started heading towards the stairs.

"What are you doing?" I asked. "I wasn't done with the ice cream."

"Do you really think you're getting any now?" he asked.

"That's when my elbows are for," I said.

"Bony elbows aside," he said. "It's three-thirty in the morning. And with the way the snow is coming down, there isn't going to be any school tomorrow, either. So, with that in mind, we should prepare for the inevitability of tomorrow's war. And the only way to do that is to be more rested than the other side, which at the moment is wide awake and fighting over a tub of melted ice cream."

"You are quite the schemer, Mr. Souza," I said. "Bravo."

"I am surprised that at this point there is any doubt in my schemes," he answered. "You really should have expected this of me."

"Apparently I still have some learning to do when it comes to you," I admitted.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," he said.

"I'm glad," I said, leaning into his chest.

He opened the door to his room and carried me over to the bed. Without the fire of downstairs, it was chilly in his room. I wrapped my arms around me and watched Derek and he moved around the dark room. He pulled a few things out of his closet and then tossed an electric blanket at me.

"Don't we need electricity to make this work?" I asked.

"Again, at this point I am surprised that you still doubt me," he said. "Toss me the cord."

I did what I was told and waited while he fiddled with whatever he had. After a few minutes, the light on the heat dial of the blanket lit up. I gasped.

"How did you do that?" I asked.

"Science experiment," he said. "I'd explain, but you'd fall asleep."

He sat down next to me on the bed and unfolded the blanket. Laying it over us, he piled on the rest of his blankets and settled down. After a few minutes, the heat started kicking in and I snuggled against Derek. Wrapping his arm around my waist, he leaned his cheek against the top of my cheek.

"How are we going to win tomorrow?" I asked.

"I have an idea."

**Like I said earlier, this is a one-shot. I have no intention of expanding further. **


End file.
